Reviews
10 Best Garage Door Insulation Kit – 2020
Imagine going to your garage in the middle of the winter to pour some antifreeze into your car, when all of a sudden you realize you’re freezing to death along with your car.
Wouldn’t it be tragic for your family members to find your frozen prostrate lych in your garage you love so much? And it’s all because you forgot to insulate the darn area during the summer months.
Now, this turn of events would have the capacity to bummer out, anyone. (Especially the part about freezing to death. That can’t be fun.)
Anyway, in this article, we will talk about the importance of insulating your garage properly, so that you can frequent the place both during the warm months and during the cold period of the year when everything freezes and the sun goes dim!
Also, we’ve prepared a list of 10 best garage door insulation kit products in the category of garage doors, so that you may have a better idea of what to go for if you decide to buy one or more of these.
Right then, without further ado, here’s the lot, folks.
Buyer’s Guide of Best Garage Door Insulation for Hot Climates.
R-Value
Representing how good a certain material is at insulating walls and other structures from the elements, the R-value of the insulating material should be the first go-to parameter to look for when buying insulation for your garage door.
The higher the value, the better a material is at preserving the heat within the designated area. Therefore, aim to get the insulation kit model with the highest possible R-value!
Ease of Installation
When it comes to making the insulating material stick to your garage door and making it stay there, different materials will show different degrees of ‘stubbornness’ during the installation process.
More often than not, the easiest way to go about installing these insulating panels would be to cut them up to the right dimensions, buy some glue, and then just arrange them over your garage door. Of course, if you’ve bought some insulation in spray, the job will be even easier.
Weight
While going for a thicker layer of the insulating material you’ve decided to go for may seem like a good idea when it comes to keeping your garage warm, it’s not as good of a prospect when it comes to how the door itself operates.
Indeed, if you put too much of the insulator material and the glue on a door, you run the risk of making it open and close more sluggishly. This is especially important if you have automatic garage door openers. More weight will put more pressure on the mechanism and the motor and decrease their life spans.
Size
Garage doors come in all shapes and sizes, so ensuring you’ve got an insulation kit that will fit your door is quite important.
Let us be clear – even if you buy an insulation kit that’s too large for your garage door, you can cut the excess material and then fit the rest into the door so that it stays there snugly.
On the other hand, if you buy less material than you require, you’ll have to buy some more and so spend even more money on a new batch of insulation material you won’t even use.
So, if you don’t plan to waste your money willy-nilly, make sure to buy an insulation kit that roughly fits your garage door size and shape.
Material
There are a couple of well-known insulator materials that are routinely used for purposes of garage door insulation.
For example, fiberglass represents a rather common choice thanks to its excellent R-value and notable durability. One of its main weaknesses would be tough installation with plenty of mess.
Spray foam, on the other hand, can be considered a quick fix solution for those who don’t have enough money to get something more sustainable. While spray foam can do the job of insulating your garage door for a while, it, too, tends to get messy during the installation.
There are also other options such as Styrofoam and cellulose, which both offer excellent insulating properties.
Editor’s Recommendation: Top 5 Garage Door Insulation Kit
 |
Owens Corning – Garage Door Insulation Kit | Check Price | |
 |
US Energy Products – NASA TECH White Reflective Foam Coat Garage Door Insulation Kit | Check Price | |
 |
Smart GARAGE – Reflective Garage Door Insulation Kit | Check Price | |
 |
Atlas – Matador Garage Door Insulation Kit | Check Price | |
 |
Anco – Garage Door Insulation Kit | Check Price |
Top 10 Best Garage Door Insulation Kits for 2020
1. Owens Corning – Garage Door Insulation Kit
To be precise, this thing can decrease the amount of noise coming in and out of your garage by as much as 20 percent, which is not a negligible number. This is possible thanks to the extra durable fiberglass panels which are paired up with white vinyl facing. When combined, these two materials offer excellent insulation properties, as well as the aforementioned noise cancelation.
As far as the installation is concerned with these two, the idea is quite straightforward – you can get this installed in less than an hour with the only tools needed for installation being the tape measure, a utility knife, and perhaps a marker.
Pros:
• Excellent thermal performance
• High R-value
• Can be installed under an hour
• Made out of durable fiberglass and white vinyl
• Cleanable surface (a mild detergent will suffice)
Cons:
• Some users have complained about the attachment extras
• Some tools needed for installation
2. US Energy Products – NASA TECH White Reflective Foam Coat Garage Door Insulation Kit
The way you set these up is quite simple. Since this reflective foam comes with double-sided tape, you can rest assured that all you need to do is measure the foam pieces properly, cut them up a bit if needed, and then stick them on the garage door. Thus organized, these white reflective foam coatings will provide the garage door (as well as the entire garage, duh) with an R-value of 7.5!
When paired up with the double tape, this number goes as far as 8. Thanks to this thick layer of reflective foam, the inside of your garage will not only be warm – but also fairly quiet, as well. Namely, the folks at US Energy Products ensured that this reflective foam also can smother any noises coming from the inside or outside of the garage. So, the sound insulation is on point, too, here!
Pros:
• NASA Tech white reflective foam door insulation kit
• Excellent R-value
• Comes with double-sided tape, for good measure
• Made in the USA
• Provides great sound insulation
Cons:
• Some users have reported getting weak and inefficient adhesive tapes
• Some users have complained about less than clear instructions
3. Smart GARAGE – Reflective Garage Door Insulation Kit
When it comes to the way an insulation kit keeps the heat inside the garage, this particular set of rolls from the Smart GARAGE company employs a rather different principle than we’ve seen with the product from above.
The thing is, rather than sticking a bunch of sturdy plates to the door itself and then securing it all with glue or some sort of strong adhesive, this door insulation kit is installed in such a way that leaves an air pocket between the door and the reflective foam.
This creates a kind of a buffer zone where warm air gets trapped! This warmth then wards off the cold from the outside and keeps the inside cozy warm and cozy.
To be precise when it comes to the degree of warmth that this Smart GARAGE thing provides, the smart folks in white lab coats estimate it at 6 – in terms of its R-value. This is achieved by sandwiching heat-preserving foam with thin sheets of aluminum, which then further ensures the heat remains well tucked in within the foam.
As far as the installation is concerned, this particular insulation kit from Smart GARAGE is a breeze to set up. Since it comes with some heavy-duty double-sided tape, you won’t have to do much to make it stick to your garage door.
Pros:
• Capable of reflecting up to 97% of radiant heat
• R6-value insulation
• Made out of high-quality foam and aluminum
• Comes with heavy-duty double-sided tape
• Easy installation
Cons:
• Some users claim that the thermal specifications are incorrect
• More complaints about the faulty and inefficient double-sided tape
4. Atlas – Matador Garage Door Insulation Kit
For easy installation, the folks at Atlas chopped up this insulation kit in 8 panels of the same size. This way, you won’t have to do any cutting or adjusting for size, because the panels have already been cut to optimal sizes for standard garage doors. Also, you won’t need to recruit the help of your neighbors or family members because the panels can be handled by a single person – thanks to their size. Plus, they’re not heavy at all, so lifting them won’t present a problem.
So, you can complete the entire installation all on your own for an hour or so and then you won’t need to worry about your garage’s temperature for years to come! What’s not to love? Also, the installation doesn’t require any special tools, so you’ll be able to pull it off with just the basic stuff, such as glue, measuring tape, and perhaps some sort of scissors that can cut through thicker materials such as this garage door insulator happens to be.
Pros:
• This package comes with 8 panels total
• Keeps the inside of your garage warm during the winter, cool during the summer
• Easy installation
• Excellent noise reduction in the garage
• Easy-to-wash surface
Cons:
• Relatively low R-value of 4.8
• Some users reported problems with shipping
5. Anco – Garage Door Insulation Kit
With the insulating R-value of 9, this insulation kit represents one of the best-suited models for intensely cold environments. Installation, as well, is a breeze with this thing, because it doesn’t require any special tools or other equipment. All you need is a tape measure, a pair of strong scissors and you’re good to go.
Another thing that makes this product quite an interesting one would be the fact that it’s completely safe around kids. Even if you cut it up, there won’t be any dangerous pieces of foam or fiberglass sticking out of it willy-nilly.
Of course, together with the thermal insulation, you’ll be getting thanks to this product’s R-value, you can also rest assured that you’ll hear much less noise in your garage thanks to this insulation kit’s noise-canceling properties!
Pros:
• Excellent R-value of 9
• Easy installation
• Does not require any special fasteners
• Safe around children
• Noise reduction
Cons:
• A bit pricey
• The panels aren’t precut
6. Maximumstore – Garage Door Insulation Panel Kit
When it comes to equipping your garage door with the best possible sort of cold resistance, an important thing to keep in mind would be the water factor. The thing is, water that gets accumulated on your garage door can freeze during the winter months and so make your garage door heavier, colder, and thus more difficult to move.
(This can put a lot of pressure on the mechanism in charge for opening and closing the garage door as its lifecycle can be greatly shortened by having to heave unnecessary weight every time it opens and closes the door.)
As our entry number 6, we’ve prepared this Maximumstore insulation kit. With its R-value sitting pretty at about 4-ish, this kit can be an excellent affordable solution for folks living in areas with a temperate climate. So, not perfect for really cold places like Canada, but it can work just fine for some warmer climates.
When it comes to installing this thing, the process couldn’t be simpler. The folks at Maximumstore made sure to cut up these panels to smaller pieces so that you can put them up either straight away or with minimal adaptation.
Possibly the most important selling point of these panels, in particular, would be their excellent water resistance properties, which means you can use these in wet conditions without worrying about shortening their lifespan! (Also, this means you can wash them up quite easily.)
Pros:
• Made out of energy-efficient expanded polystyrene
• This kit features 8 panels for easier installation
• Attractive, clean appearance
• Washable for easy maintenance
• DIY installation
Cons:
• Relatively low R-value of 4
• The installation can be a bit messy (if you cut the Styrofoam)
7. Reach Barrier – 3009 Garage Door Insulation Kit
For those of you looking for a well-rounded do-it-yourself garage door insulation kit, this Reach Barrier package may be just the thing for you. To provide the best possible heat insulation, the folks at the Reach Barrier company made sure to make their reflective insulation and bubble barrier technology be able to block up to 95% of all the incoming radiating heat.
This impressive statistic makes this insulation kit one of the best garage door insulation kit solutions out there on the market!
To make this happen, the engineers at Reach Barrier combined two layers of radiant barrier, as well as two layers of laminated barrier bubbles. Thus organized, this reach barrier exceeds all new fire codes, so you can rest assured that this thing won’t combust into flames like kindling in case there’s a fire in your garage.
When it comes to installation, this kit would score fairly high as well, because it doesn’t require any special tools, protective clothing, or any other sort of special equipment, to get this thing up and running.
What you get is 8 panels of the same size you can arrange on your garage door to your liking. You’ll also get some adhesive squares you can use to put these up, as well as an easy-to-follow instruction sheet you can consult if you get stuck along the way.
Pros:
• Consists of several layers of reflective insulation
• Exceeds all modern-day fire codes
• No maintenance required
• Easy DIY installation
Cons:
• Some users complained about the quality of the bubble wrap
• Some users claimed they didn’t receive the bubble wrap panels of the same size
8. Reflectix – Bubble Pack Insulation
When it comes to low-end solutions for keeping your garage warm during the winter months and relatively cool during the summer months, only a few kits can come close to this model we’re about to present before your eager (and frugal!) eyes!
The insulating principle this Reflectix thing works on is quite simple indeed. What you have is a large piece of reflective foil, as well as bubble foil for additional temperature regulation. Thus organized, this relatively low-cost insulation solution can achieve the incredible heat reflection rate of up to 97%!
When translated into R-value, this would get you the number of 14.3 – but this is if you apply multiple layers of this already multiple-layered foil.
Also, it’d be worth pointing out that this Reflectix product possesses a class 1 fire rating, which pretty much means you won’t have to worry about this product making a fire worse in your garage. (Mind you, this thing will not prevent a fire, but it’s not highly flammable, so it won’t burn quickly if it does catch fire.)
Pros:
• Excellent R-value for money
• Easy installation
• Several protective layers
• Affordable
Cons:
• Some people claim that the adhesive tape this comes with wasn’t effective enough
• Some users have reported poor sound insulating properties of this kit
9. US Energy Products – Two Car Garage Door Insulation Kit
Included in this kit are the following items you will use to get this thing up-and-running: double-sided foam insulation, a tape, a razor, and a squeegee, for good measure. So, what you do is the following – you take the insulation foam sheets, cut them up so that they fit the necessary size you’re looking for, stick them onto your garage door with the tape provided by the manufacturers, and then that’s it!
When it comes to the official recognition of this product’s merit, so to speak, the folks at US Energy Products have managed to accrue the certificates and validations from such authorities as ASTM, as well as whoever issues the class A fire ratings.
(So, no need to worry about horrifying fire-related incidents where your garage door’s spontaneously combusted out of nowhere. Of course, it’s important to mention that this fire resistance won’t do much against the fire-starting culprit itself such as bad installations or a torch you’ve left unattended.)
Now, as far as the heat-reflection is concerned, you need not worry too much, because this insulation kit will be able to get you rid of approximately 97% of radiant heat, amounting to an R-8 value of insulation.
Pros:
• Class A fire rating
• ASTM certificate
• Meets all the necessary fire codes
• Can reflect up to 97% of radiant heat
• Excellent sound-blocking properties
• R-8 insulation value
Cons:
• The installation will require two people
• A bit pricey
10. Cellofoam North America – Garage Door Insulation Kit
The technology behind this garage door insulation kit efficiency pretty much amounts to the excellently built polystyrene, which has been thoroughly extended. This material, in particular, boats great temperature-regulating properties thanks to its plastic closed cells, which trap the heat inside and don’t let it go further into your garage. Conversely, during the winter months, these same cells trap whatever heat generates around your garage door, making the inside a tad warmer!
Other than these qualities, this model from Cellofoam North America also boasts excellent strength and durability properties. This means that once you set up an array of these panels, you won’t have to worry for years to come! No doubt, a great investment in the long run.
When it comes to the installation itself, the deal is quite straightforward – it’s a similar story to how you’d proceed with installing any of the insulation kits from above. The only important thing that needs to be pointed out would be the fact that these panels need kerfing to be well-adjusted to the sort of dimensions you need to work with.
Pros:
• Made out of tough polystyrene
• Great R-value
• Excellent strength and durability properties
• The panels need to be kerfed
• Easy maintenance
Cons:
• Some users weren’t happy with this products messiness (during the installation)
• Some users reported problems with shipping
What to Consider Before Choosing Garage Door Insulation Kit
The 3 types of insulation:
1. Foam Insulation
2. Batt Insulation
3. Reflective Insulation
1. Foam Insulation
One of the most commonly found materials used in garage door insulation, as well as insulation in general, would be the various forms of foam. To be precise, we’re talking about polystyrene and polyurethane.
Although these two materials pretty much share many of their characteristics, it’d be important to point out that polystyrene is fairly similar to Styrofoam – a material well-known for its use in packaging. Of course, as you know, Styrofoam tends to crumble a lot and it’s not the most fire-resistant material out there.
On the other hand, polyurethane is a tad more pliable and easier to work with, but it also lacks in the fire-resistance department, so to speak. So, to make the best out of these two materials, make sure to pair them up with some sort of protective outer layers, such as aluminum or vinyl. (For fire protection.)
2. Batt Insulation
Batt insulation represents a form of flexible insulation that can satisfy your needs for temperature retaining in your garage even with just a single layer! (Well, it all depends really on where you live. For a temperate climate with not many variations throughout the year, you may fare well with just a single layer of this thing. For colder climates, a couple of layers may be necessary to make this insulation effective enough.)
This type of insulation is usually placed on the outside of the garage door and is typically made out of fiberglass. This material performs excellently with vapors and it represents an air barrier that captures the hot air and prevents it from entering the closed area beneath the garage door. Also, during the winter months, it will keep the cold out. A win-win insulation solution all year ‘round!
3. Reflective Insulation
This sort of insulation consists of multiple layers of insulator materials.
The idea behind this concept is quite simple – you take a piece of cardboard or some polyethylene bubbles, you apply a sheet of aluminum on either side of those and then this glorious concoction of materials has the power to keep your garage’s temperature level and prevent spikes in either direction of the scale.
Thanks to its excellent heat reflection properties, this sort of garage door insulation can be a great choice for a garage door during the summer months when it’s exceptionally hot. The aluminum foil will reflect the hot sun rays, keeping the inside of the garage relatively cool.
How to Use Your Garage Door Insulation?
Clean the Garage Door Thoroughly
First things first, before you start anything up, it’s important to ensure you clean the garage door.
The thing is, if you haven’t done it in a while, there’s a good chance that dust, dirt, and various smudges have appeared on the surface of the door, so the best course of action in these cases would be to clean the door thoroughly.
If you don’t do this and put insulation over a dirty door, you may start experiencing weird smells emanating from underneath the structure as time goes by. Also, you might not be able to apply the glue as well as you need to if the surface hasn’t been cleaned first.
Measure Your Garage Door
Not every garage door is the same size.
Many people tend to make their garage doors custom-built so that they can accommodate the sort of vehicle the owner of the house drives. What’s more, garages can be built for a single vehicle, two vehicles, or even multiple vehicles.
So, when it comes to insulating this garage door, the proper thing to do would be to measure it first, so that you have a clear idea of how much insulation you’ll need.
Get the Necessary Insulation
While the prospect of trying to make your insulation panels may be attractive from the money-saving point of view, it’s important to understand that garage door insulation is a thing that needs to survive years and years before you’d need to replace it. Therefore, doing a bad or half-hearted job at insulating your door the first time around can bring more harm than good in the long run.
This is why it’s recommended that you should buy an insulation kit that you can use with your garage door. Whether it’s batt insulation, some sort of foam, or indeed, some Styrofoam panels, it’s always better to buy something that’s been proven over and over to work.
Consider the R-Value
Not every insulation kit is the same, nor does every insulation kit feature the same R-value. (If you’re wondering what R-value is, it’s the measurement for the amount of insulation a certain material, or combination of materials, can provide.)
Typically, most insulation kits commonly found on the market offer an R-value of anywhere from 3 to 9-ish. Of course, there are certain advanced kits out there that offer even better insulation than this, but, for all intents and purposes, the aforementioned range should work for all temperate to cold climates.(At the end of the day, you can always double or triple the amount of insulation you’re putting on your garage door and increase the R-value that way!)
Anyway, the important thing to understand about the R-value is the following: If you live in a cold climate – get a kit with a higher R-value. If you live in a hot climate, a lower R-value will probably suffice for your needs. (Plus, insulation kits with a lower R-value are typically less expensive, so you can even save some money along the way.)
Cut the Insulation to Proper Sizes
Provided you’ve previously measured the size of your garage door, you can start cutting out the insulation kit you’ve received into panels that fit the dimensions of your garage door. (Well, obviously don’t cut the insulation kit box itself, but the panels or the coil you receive.)
By the way, the manufacturers of these insulation kits pack them in mostly two different ways. These insulation kits are, therefore, either packaged as individual panels that you can fir straight away or as coils that you can unwrap and then cut the pieces out according to your garage door dimensions you’ve measured beforehand.
Fit the Panels Using the Right Adhesive
Once you’ve prepared everything for the upcoming task (you’ve cleaned the garage door, bought the right sort of insulation for your garage door, and cut the individual pieces out from the panels or coils you received), you can start fitting the newly cut panels.
More often than not, the manufacturers of these insulation kits will prepare the necessary adhesive and include it in the package together with the insulation kit itself. In practice, however, you might need additional adhesives, so consider buying glues, adhesive tapes, whatever you see fit to help you get those panels up on the garage door.
How Many Types of Garage Door Insulation Are There?
When it comes to the different sorts of insulation currently in use for garage doors, in particular, there are five main materials to take into consideration:
Fiberglass – … a cloth-like material possessing excellent insulation properties. Thanks to its flexibility and overall malleability, this material is routinely used in combinations of several pieces of material into one whole unit.
Rigid Foam – As it name suggests itself, rigid foam is a type of foam that’s already hardened and that’s been shaped into panels that can be used immediately. The rule with foam is quite simple when it comes to its R-value. The thicker it is, the better it will be able to resist the heat.
Spray Foam – Another form of foam insulation comes in the form of a spray. It’s pretty much the same thing as the rigid foam, the only difference being that you get to choose where you’re going to spray it on your garage door. Using spray foam means you can be more precise about where you’re applying the insulation foam, but at the same time, it can be quite messy if you’re not careful.
Cellulose – … represents a material that is the most similar to fiberglass when it comes to its thermal characteristics and the R-value. The most prominent difference would be the fact that cellulose is made out of organic plants, while fiberglass is made out of artificial materials. (This is also the reason why cellulose tends to be more expensive.)
Reflective Insulation – If you’ve seen a garage door or any insulated surface for that matter that’s all shiny and bright in the hot summer day, chances are – you’ve come across a model with reflective insulation. Reflective insulation panels are usually made out of aluminum and are typically combined with other materials to make the insulation kit even more effective.
Why Do You Need an Insulated Garage Door?
Door Durability
Properly insulated garage doors simply tend to last longer.
The thing is, even though it may not represent the main wear ‘n’ tear factor when it comes to garage door life spans, the weather is capable of shedding years off of a garage door’s ‘lifecycle’ quite easily!
Without proper insulation, the metal door can start warping, showing signs of rust, and its open ‘n’ close mechanism may start slowly showing signs of wear.
Saves Energy
This one goes without saying.
Whenever you make a room (whether it’s your living room, bathroom, or indeed, garage) well insulated, you’re going to reduce the costs for its heating quite substantially.
Think about it – during the winter, the heat will remain trapped inside of the garage and during the summer, it will be easier to cool down the entire place because the cold air won’t be able to escape as easily!
A Better Environment for Your Car
When your garage is not properly insulated, one of the suffering parties would surely be your car.
This poor vehicle will be exposed without any protection to scorching hot summer months with high humidity (a disaster for your car’s bodywork) as well as to those tough and cold winter months when the temperatures drop below freezing point!
Therefore, properly insulating your garage will not only make it a better place for yourself but also it will make it a better place for your beloved four-wheeler!
Warmer Garage
A big part of insulating your garage goes back to those horrid winter months when everything freezes and your garage turns into a void tundra where nothing can function properly without some thorough warming up first.
Insulating your garage is going to make it a warmer place for both you and your car. What’s not to love here? (Also, lower heating costs!)
Less Noise
One great property of garage door insulation is that I also tend to be capable of canceling the majority of the noises coming either out of or into the garage itself!
This is great news for owners of vehicles with loud motors or folks who have big and bulky (and loud) machines in their garages!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long is The Garage Door Good For?
It all depends.
On average, a well-built durable garage door can serve you for about ten years. Now, various factors can affect its overall lifespan. Things such as the tough weather and high frequency of use can shorten the lifespan of a garage door.
On the other hand, insulating it can give you a couple of more years of use.
What is the Best Material for a Garage Door Insulation?
Again, it depends on what you are looking for.
If your main priority is the R-value, getting a kit with excellent heat reflectivity can be a great solution. (A kit containing aluminum foil and multiple layers will do well for this purpose.)
On the other hand, if you’re looking for a lower R-value and lower costs, getting some sort of DIY spray foam might as well do the trick.
Why Is The Garage Door Insulation Kit So Expensive?
Most garage door insulation kits are relatively inexpensive, especially because they can last you for years if you set them up properly.
Of course, you can always find a kit that will be more expensive than the rest of other ones on the market, but all things considered, even a more expensive package is an investment well worth the money!
All in all, ensuring your garage is a safe place, sound, and warm (during the winter) is essential for the well-being of you, your car, and any machines you may have installed in your garage. We hope this article helped you find your perfect insulation material and we wish you the best of luck with the installation!
