Friday, July 20, 2018

Insulation & Garage Doors: What Should My R-Value Be?

If you are considering garage door replacement, you've likely done a lot of research already on what would be the right replacement. You might have decided on a design that will look good on your home, but you have probably not thought about the insulation.

Now, the mostly warm Texas weather in Austin may make you think that you insulation isn’t necessary; however, it’s important to remember that insulation is key when it comes to keeping cool air inside without allowing it to escape..

When gauging a garage door's insulation, manufactures rate it on a scale called the R-value. This is a scale that gauges its thermal resistance, or the ability to prevent temperature loss. To put understanding the R-value simply, the higher the number, the better it insulates.

R-values can go as high as 32 in some cases, but that doesn't mean you need the highest possible value. It is also important to remember that if you are choosing between an R-value 8 and an R-value 16 door, that doesn't mean it is twice as good at preventing temperature loss. In truth, the comparison is just a five percent gain from a 90% temperature loss reduction to 95% percent.

If you’re wondering what the appropriate R-value is for your new garage door replacement in Austin, the answer will vary by how you are using the garage. In most cases, an R-value 8 door will be more than enough for both an attached and detached garage. However, if you are using your garage as a living space, especially if you are having it heated or cooled by your HVAC system, you may want to consider a higher value - such as an R-value 16. Going higher than that gives smaller percentages of temperature retention and energy efficiency that may not be worth the price.

If you have questions on this, please don’t hesitate to contact us in order to further discuss.

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