DIY Garage Workshop Insulation

Larry — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:45:23 +0000

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.

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DIY Garage Workshop Insulation

Choosing The Best DIY Garage Insulation Materials

Larry — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:07:40 +0000

I’m here to help you with your project!
To discuss how I can help you with your do-it-yourself project,
click the red “Appointment” button on the right side of the screen.

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 Total 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.

DIY Tip Be sure to order Prodex Total as it has the more efficient closed cell foam core.

Tools and Materials

Prodex Total is easy to install with these simple tools;

Measuring Tape

Caulking Gun

Straight Edge Level

Utility Knife

Silicone Caulk

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.

DIY Tip: Cut the insulation on a piece of plywood to keep from dulling the blade of your utility knife.

DIY Tip: Be sure to position the insulation quickly as the silicone will set fairly fast.

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.

DIY Tip: Make cut-outs for the pilot and thermostat access. Use a bit of duct tape to secure those pieces so you can easily access them later.

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 selecting from multiple insulation materials, I highly recommend Prodex Insulation. It’s a great radiant barrier and can be easily purchased from Insulation4less.com. They also have a garage door insulation kit here.

Save even more money with a DIY Solar Heater Kit

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

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DIY article from: DIYAnswerGuy.com. Don't forget to follow me (@DIYAnswerGuy) on Twitter for more DIY answers. Thanks!

Choosing The Best DIY Garage Insulation Materials

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