Im looking to insulate my garage door to keep cold air out because my sons room is directly above it. I seen the Owens Corning product at Home Depot and wonder if any of you have used it. If not is there a better way to do it. It is a standard 8 ft door. Thanks for all responses
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Is the ceiling/floor insulated under bedroom?
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Yes the ceiling is insulated with blown in cellulose. His room above the garage is the coldest in the house and I was hoping that this would help. Any suggestions
Where are you as this may help the answer.Do you know were the floor joists filled with insulation or is there a space between the top of the insulation and the underside of the plywood (OSB) on the floor?There should be a space for warm air from the house to flow under the plywood (OSB) and above the vapor barrier and insulation.Perhaps adding a 2" layer of Styrofoam to the garage ceiling may help.Also a good quality insulated garage door.
And heat the garage.
Edited 12/2/2009 7:18 pm ET by cjeffrey
There should be a space for warm air from the house to flow under the plywood (OSB) and above the vapor barrier and insulation.
Can you clarify that. Sounds like you're talking about roof venting or perhaps ducting? Air flow in insulated areas typically mitigates the function of the insulation.
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
The order should be.1. Ceiling material (Usually drywall)
2. Insulation between the joists with a 1.5" space at the top edge
3. Poly which is 1.5" below the top of the floor joists.
4. Plywood or OSB.The space allows the warm air from the house to come under the OSB/Ply and make the floor warmer. If our feet are warm our body feels warmer.
That is why I love in floor heat.I used to fill the floor joist full of insulation until one house I built spec'ed it this way. 10" joists called for 8" insulation, then 2" Styrofoam underneath it. this was a 1' Box bay overhang. I asked why and it made sense.
I'm assuming at least 8" of cells at about (if I remember right) R3.5 per inch, so thats about R28, again assuming that it's uniform in installation. I'd be looking for air leakage next or perhaps a vaulted ceiling that's not insulated as well as rest of house? Do areas around windows feel drafty? Pull an outlet cover and see if there's significant cold air entering there, that will give some clues where to start. There's heat ducted into the room, right?
The best insulated doors are made that way, usually injected foam into a shell of some sort. The weak link is just what reno pointed out...the seals and they open a huge hole in the wall once or thrice a day.
In order of importance, I'd;
Check for cold air intrusion into bedroom and make sure insulation is done right.
Seal garage as best you can, door bottoms, side seals
Insulate existing door with block foam, the gaps in the installation are the weakest link
Have an insulated door installed.
Augment heat in that room somehow
Maybe reverse the last two, depending on if the garage is ever used for anything besides parking cars (workspace).
You could also have an energy audit that would pinpoint heat loss and air infiltration.
Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.
Insulating a garage door is more an exercise in aggrivation than anything else.
There are two problems. the first is the large number of gaps and leaks ... let alone what happens when the door opens.
The second issue is weight. Most golks have no idea just how finely balanced their garage doors are; adding even a little styrofoam makes a real difference in the door's operation.
I agree with the first poster that you're better served looking to seal and insulate the ceiling of the garage.