Helping a friend with a garage workshop insulation question.

I’d like to share a little story with you that involves my neighbor Mike who lives through the woods, right behind my house. He’s not your average retired guy as he always has some kind of do-it-yourself project going on. This time he was looking for an effective solution to insulate his garage workshop.

Just a little background on my friend Mike. He spent 30+ years working as a machinist for the Navy. And Mike wasn’t just any ole machinist, he worked on the nuclear propulsion systems on Submarines and Carriers. Mike’s also a rough and tumble Alaskan gold miner and can build or repair just about anything.

Well, not to long ago, Mike invites me over to talk with him about coming up with a solution for insulating his workshop doors. He says if we use the 1/4 of a brain we each have, we should be able to come up with a solution. Funny guy.

His metal garage workshop doors are a pair of 10 ft. wide x 14 ft. tall flat framed 2x4 doors with sheet metal cladding on the exterior.

The doors also bypass each other to open (clearance between them is only about 1/4 inch) making it difficult to apply standard insulation to the doors.

Well, after some discussion, I recommended using Prodex radiant barrier insulation on his shop doors. This is an excellent insulation material I’ve used on another garage door insulation project.

Since Prodex is only 1/4 in. thick, he simply cut each section of insulation a bit taller than the space between the 2x4’s. That way, the insulation could be stapled to the 2x4 framing as well as siliconed directly to the metal.

Prodex recommends creating an air space to increase the effectiveness of the product, but we didn’t have that option due to the extremely small clearance between the sliding doors. Having said that, an air space was naturally provided by the 50% corrugation of the metal cladding.

Notice that foil tape was applied on all insulation seams.

In the end, the shop doors easily open and look great too. Now, not only is Mike using less energy to heat and cool his workshop but the reflective qualities have improved his garage workshop lighting and created a more comfortable place to work.

So even if you’re a brilliant and resourceful guy like Mike, but still have a question about your project, just ask your personal DIY consultant, and I’ll find the answer to help you succeed with speed.

Here’s a link for more information on Prodex including installation instructions.

Workshop Plans

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Choosing the best insulation material for your do-it-yourself garage insulation project.

As you know, one of the least energy efficient areas of our homes is the garage, specifically the garage door. Most garage doors are made of aluminum, steel or wood and are usually installed uninsulated. The typical double garage door is 7 ft. x 16 ft. That’s over 100 sq. ft. of uninsulated space. Whether you have a single or double car garage, your uninsulated garage door is allowing heat in during the summer and letting heat escape during the winter.

I’ll bet you’ve probably felt how hot your garage door gets in the summer and how cold it is in the winter. Well this is the sign that it’s time to correct the problem and start reducing your energy bills.

And if your water heater is in the garage, it’s efficiency is affected too. The colder it is in the garage the longer the water heater has to stay on to keep the water temperature constant — which means a higher energy bill.

Since there are several different insulating materials to choose from, it’s not surprising that this is one of the most often asked questions I receive;

“Which insulation material should I use to insulate my garage and water heater?”

Fortunately I have a simple and inexpensive answer as well as a couple of tips to help make your do-it-yourself insulation project a breeze.

So here we go.

Types of Insulation Materials

First let me explain the different kinds of insulation materials available to you.

Spray Foam Insulation

Two part spray foam is very effective but you’ll have to buy a kit (about $350 for a double garage door) or hire a professional to perform the work. That makes this material the most expensive choice.

Rigid Foam Insulation

Although Rigid foam is less expensive than spray foam, it’s also a bit less effective due to a lower the R-value–which leads me to what I believe is the best material choice for this do it yourself home insulation project.

Prodex Insulation

Prodex insulation, commonly known as a radiant barrier, is the DIYers best choice for these types of insulation projects because it’s inexpensive, easy to install, and very effective. It also has a built-in bonus I’ll tell you about later.

Prodex insulation is only 1/4 inch thick and made of a closed cell foam core covered on both sides with tear resistant foil. This amazing radiant barrier reflects 97% of the heat. It also offers an excellent R-value and is about half the cost of rigid insulation

For about $120 you can easily and simply insulate your garage door and water heater, and immediately begin saving energy.

Tools and Materials

Prodex is easy to install with these simple tools;

• Tape measure
• Straight edge (level)
• Utility knife
• Caulking gun
• 100% clear silicone caulk/adhesive
• Foil tape

Garage Door Insulation

Cut the insulation to size and apply it to each garage door section with silicone adhesive. Use foil tape to repair any tears or to cover seams.

You may have noticed the extra bonus I was talking about from the photos — the highly reflective quality of the insulation will instantly brighten your garage. Nice.

Insulating the Water Heater

Since you’re insulating your garage door, go ahead and insulate your water heater too. Remember, even if your water heater is in the house, you can save money by insulating the tank. Use the same radiant barrier insulation to insulate your water heater.

PLEASE be sure to read, understand and follow all safety precautions and procedures when working with, near, or around any gas or electric water heater, or for that matter any appliance. You can also refer to my Insulation Do’s and Don’ts article for more tips.

So, when you’re ready to undertake your do-it-yourself garage insulation project and you’re faced with multiple insulation materials to choose from, I highly recommend Prodex Insulation. It’s a great radiant barrier and can be easily purchased from Insulation4less.com. They’ll even deliver it to your (garage) door for about $107 + shipping (4 ft. x 50 ft. roll).

If you have questions about your DIY projects, just ask your personal DIY consultant. I’m here to help you succeed with speed.

Garage Door Openers

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1

A few DIY tips on insulation materials and things you should and should not do when insulating your home.

So, here we go.

There are several types of home insulation and different applications for each. I will cover the different types and uses for each and offer a few tips to help keep your house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

The most popular and widely used type of insulation is fiberglass — which is actually made from spun glass. Fiberglass insulation is typically used to insulate floors, walls, ceilings and attics. It comes faced (paper backed) and un-faced, in various widths and R-values.

R-value is simply the measure of thermal resistance (how much the insulation slows the transfer of warm air to cold air). So the higher the R-value the more resistance the insulation offers. Learn more about R-value.

There are many other types of insulation such as;

• Rigid foam (extruded polystyrene), used primarily for exterior applications.
• Cellulose (made from recycled paper), used for insulating walls, ceilings, attics and floors.
• Radiant barriers (closed cell foam faced on both sides with foil) use for insulating floors, walls, ceilings, attics, garage doors, water heaters and metal commercial buildings, and
• Spray foam (a two-part liquid containing a polymer and a foaming agent) used for insulating walls, ceilings and other interior closed spaces.

These products all have different R-values, material cost and installation cost.

Do it Yourself Insulating Do’s and Don’ts.

• Do not crush or stuff fiberglass insulation into a space. Crushing the insulation reduces the effectiveness of the product. More in a space is not better.
• Do wear a mask and protective clothing when working with fiberglass insulation. Who wants to breath spun glass into their lungs.
• Do not block soffit and gable vents when initially insulating or adding insulation to your attic. Good air flow is critical to preventing condensation. Condensation/moisture will ruin most insulation and create an environment for mold to take hold.
• Do install a moisture barrier (plastic/polyethylene) over your insulated walls and seal (tape) all seams as well as the top and bottom of the walls. This will insure that there is no transfer of cold air to the warm air, thus virtually eliminating condensation.
• Do not dispose of any insulation by burning. Burning insulation is toxic, harmful to you and the environment. You can easily dispose of the extra or old insulation by placing it in plastic bags and taking it to your local refuse disposal station (dump).
• Do use radiant barriers to insulate the inside of your garage door and around your water heater. This is a great way to save energy and it is quite inexpensive. Radiant barriers are less expensive than rigid insulation, are far more effective and easier to use. Radiant barriers are also fantastic for use as a moisture barrier/underlayment for laminate floors over concrete. Since the radiant barrier acts as a thermal break the cold and moisture can not move from the concrete up through the flooring. It also adds just a bit of cushion to the floor for comfort, (as it is only 1/4″ thick).

Here’s more energy saving and insulation tips.

Follow these do-it-yourself insulation tips and you will truly succeed with speed.

If you have questions about your DIY projects, just ask your personal DIY consultant. I’m here to help you.