Does your garage need to be insulated? If you were thinking about any other room in your home, you wouldn’t think twice. You know that insulation helps keep your home more energy-efficient, and it also helps you feel more comfortable in your home.
Many homeowners don’t think the garage needs the same treatment as the rest of the house. However, there are some good reasons why you should consider insulating your garage. Take a look at why your garage needs insulation and what your choices are.
You Can Minimize Air Leakage
One reason that you insulate your home is because you don’t want the warm air from the outside coming in and forcing your AC to work harder, or cold air coming in forcing your heater to work harder. Your heating and cooling systems are more energy-efficient when they’re not competing with the outdoor elements.
In fact, good insulation can allow you to turn the heater or AC off in milder weather and still maintain a consistent and comfortable temperature in the home, helping you achieve further energy savings.
What many homeowners don’t realize is that with an attached garage, any air leakage in the garage also affects the rest of the home. If your garage is attached and not insulated, chances are that the air leakage in the garage is driving up the energy usage in the rest of the house, even if you’re not trying to heat or cool the garage. Insulating the garage minimizes that air leakage and reduces energy usage.
Insulation Makes Your Garage More Useful
A garage is a useful storage space, but that’s not all it is. A garage is also a great place to work, whether you’re doing home repair projects, mechanical work, or creative projects. But why should you only be able to use it comfortably when the weather is mild?
When you insulate the garage, you make it a more comfortable place to work in year-round. What’s more, insulation will also help prevent condensation from building up overnight inside the garage, which can make it safer to store items in the garage that might otherwise be damaged by dampness. So even if you only use the garage as a storage space, insulation makes the space more useful.
Your Insulation Options
There are several different insulation options that work well in home garages. Common choices include fiberglass, cellulose, rigid foam, and spray foam insulation. They all have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Fiberglass insulation is sold in batts and pre-cut blankets, making it a good choice for homeowners who want to DIY their garage insulation. Cellulose is a popular choice for homeowners who have finished walls, and rigid foam works well on garage doors and particularly thin garage walls.
Spray foam needs to be professionally installed and is probably more insulation than the average home garage needs, but if you plan to convert your garage to a bedroom or another living space, then spray foam may be worth considering.
For more ideas about how you can improve your home garage, Schedule your free design consultation