Everything You Need to Know About Garage Door Insulation

For many, the main entry point into your home is your garage. A garage door is also typically one of the largest openings into your home. Leaving this large space uninsulated or underinsulated can negatively impact the thermal efficiency of your home. Understanding why you insulate your garage, what to look out for and the different options available to you will help you make an informed decision about how much insulation is right for your garage. 

Some Things to Consider When Thinking About Insulation: 

Attached vs Detached:

A big deciding factor for determining your insulation needs is whether your garage is attached or detached from your house. If your garage is attached to your home and your garage door is not well insulated, it can greatly impact the overall thermal efficiency of your home. Having proper insulation in your garage door can help keep unwanted cold and heat out of your home. 

 

A detached garage does not directly impact the comfort of your home in the same way as an attached garage, but if you work or spend time in your garage, having a well-insulated garage door can help keep you comfortable. 

 

Climate: 

Do you live in an extremely hot or cold climate? Having an insulated garage door can make a big difference in keeping the extreme temperatures out. The right insulated garage doors can help improve your home's thermal efficiency. 

 

Know your Materials: 

The two main types of garage door insulation are polystyrene and polyurethane. 

• Polyurethane insulation is a sprayed foam that delivers twice the thermal performance of polystyrene insulation of the same thickness! It also adds strength and rigidity to the door panels and helps dampen sound transmission. So, without any of the bulk, you can gain impressive insulation to better make your garage energy efficient. 


• Polystyrene insulation is a rigid panel material commonly used in garage doors for basic thermal performance. While it provides a noticeable improvement over non-insulated doors, polystyrene is less dense than polyurethane, which means it offers lower thermal efficiency and sound dampening. It may not perform as well in extreme temperatures or when energy efficiency is a priority. 

What We Use and Why: 

Because polyurethane is up to two times more effective than polystyrene at insulating garage doors, at Wayne Dalton, we have made polyurethane our gold standard. We use a patented Polyurethane Foamed-In-Place Insulation process to deliver the best possible insulation to our customers. 

 

Benefits of a Polyurethane Insulated Garage Door:

• Energy efficiency – High-density foam expands to fill gaps, creating a tighter seal and significantly reducing heat transfer.
• Enhanced durability – Rigid bonding to the door panels boosts structural integrity and makes the door more resistant to dents and daily wear.
• Better temperature control – Lower U-Factor helps keep the garage more comfortable year-round, which also benefits adjacent living spaces.
• Improved sound dampening – Dense foam core absorbs noise more effectively, reducing outside sounds from entering the garage or home.
• Increased door strength – Adds stiffness and vibration resistance, resulting in a quieter, more solid-feeling door.
• Ideal for attached garages – Helps reduce energy costs and improve comfort in living areas connected to the garage.

 

Our Insulated Doors:

Wayne Dalton offers more than 17 garage doors with polyurethane insulation. Wayne Dalton participates in the DASMA Thermal Performance Verification Program. The program verifies the thermal performance of sectional doors and is used to determine the thermal efficiency of our garage doors, so you can rest assured your garage door is properly insulated for your needs.  

A properly insulated garage door could help you take a huge step forward in making your home more energy efficient. Here are a few of our most popular polyurethane-insulated doors that have a great low U-Factor and high R-value rating:

• Carriage House Steel Garage Door Model 8600
• Classic Steel Garage Door Models 8300 / 8500
• Designer Steel Garage Door Model 8310
• Classic Steel Garage Door Model 9100 / 9600
• Designer Fiberglass Garage Door Model 8680
• Carriage House Steel Garage Door Model 8670

The main entrance to a lot of homes is through the garage. Keeping the garage temperature controlled through insulation can help control the temperature in the whole home. 

The amount of insulation you need varies based on where you live and the climate and weather you experience. If you live somewhere that is very hot or very cold, you may need more insulation to achieve optimal performance. Getting a garage door with the correct amount of insulation can go a long way in making your garage and even you home more energy efficient. 

If you think your garage and home could benefit from an insulated garage door, Wayne Dalton has you covered. With so many to choose from, we have a style you’ll love with top-tier insulation you can count on. 

If you still don’t know what insulated garage door is right for you, let the experts at Wayne Dalton help. We can assess your specific needs and help you determine what level of insulated door makes the most sense for your garage.