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How To

How to Insulate a Garage Door

Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
(33 Ratings)

Proper garage door insulation helps maintain energy bills and keeps insects and bugs out of your garage. Insulating material works by pressing itself between the garage door and the floor thereby protecting the inside of the garage from any snow or rain. Below are some of the ways you can easily insulate your garage door.

Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • Polyurethane foam or polystyrene foam
  • Weather strip (optional)
  • Nails
  • Hammer
  • Garage insulation kit (optional)
  1. Step 1

    Measure the garage door panels. Buy polyurethane foam sheets from your local hardware store. Cut the sheathing with a utility knife using the panel measurements. Insert the foam along the garage panels with a putty knife and cover it with aluminum foil tape.

  2. Step 2

    Buy polystyrene foam to use as an alternative insulator. Cut out the stiff polystyrene in the required measurement and glue it to the garage panels. Fasten panel brackets to the foam to secure the insulation.

  3. Step 3

    Employ a substitute method of using a double layer of weather strip to help seal off the door against warm or cold drafts. Remove the backing material from the weather strip to expose the adhesive side. Place the adhesive side facing downwards towards the garage door panels. Apply hand pressure to affix or use nails and a hammer to pin it down.

  4. Step 4

    Purchase a ready made garage insulation kit from a hardware store. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper installation.

  5. Step 5

    Test the insulation once you are done with the project. Close the garage door and feel for any outside draft coming in.

Tips & Warnings
  • Purchase a durable weather strip that can withstand years of wear and tear.
  • Do not stretch the weather strip--it will diminish the effectiveness.

Comments  

falconfoam said

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on 1/16/2009 Another great option is purchasing a garage door insulation kit. Falcon Foam supplies major garage door makers, so the kits they sell at www.doorinsulationkit.com are essentially the same thing you would get if you were to purchase a new door.

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