During the winter, garages can become incredibly cold and vice versa in the summer. However, using garage door insulation targets vulnerable areas within the door to prevent heat escaping in the cold or heat coming in when it’s hot.
The best garage door insulation kit is the Matador Garage Insulation, which is available in two different sizes and has a simple tool-free installation.
Installing garage door insulation kits is far easier than you would expect. All that is required beforehand is measurements to determine the correct panels for your door. Unlike metal garage doors, the wooden alternative doesn’t require any insulation.
Table of Contents
Garage Door Insulation Comparison
| Garage Door Insulation | Panels | R-Value |
|---|---|---|
| Matador DIY | 7/8' Tall & 8/9' Wide | 4.8 |
| Owens Corning 500824 | 7'4 Tall & 9' Wide | 8.0 |
| NASA Tech | 8' Tall & 16' Wide | 7.0 |
| Anco DIY | 8' Tall & 9' Wide | 9.0 |
| Reach Barrier 3009 | 8' Tall & 8' Wide | 4.8 |
| SmartGARAGE Reflective | 7' Tall & 18' Wide | 6.0 |
| Cellofoam DIY Kit | 8' Tall & 9' Wide | 4.8 |
| Reflectix BP24050 | 8' Tall & 8' Wide | 4.5 |
Another benefit of adding insulation to your garage door is the fact that it makes the garage quieter and more aesthetically pleasing. They also do not cause any issues with garage door openers as the panels are tailored to fit with minor trimming.
It may come to a surprise to many but buying insulation for garage doors is relatively cheap and long lasting with very little maintenance required. Paying a small amount extra for a top rated insulation kit is highly recommended.
Below is a list of the best garage door insulation kits that keep the heat in during the winter and keep it out during the summer.
The Best Garage Door Insulation
1. Matador Garage Door Insulation Kit
The Matador garage door insulation kit is the most popular and for good reason. It’s simple to install with no special tools required and the bright white finish provides the garage with an attractive look that is easy to keep clean too.
Other features of the Matador Garage Door Insulation Kit include:
- Available in two different sizes
- Insulation r-value of 4.8
- Bright white surface that easy to clean
- Scored panels for easy installation
- No special tools required
This garage door insulation kit does exactly what you want, which is keeping the garage warm in the winter and cool during the summer. The brand claim that you can install it in less than a hour and the savings will pay for itself as you will be using less energy to maintain a comfortable temperature.
The two sizes include the standard size kit, which is suitable for a 7 foot tall and 8 to 9 foot wide door. The larger size is suitable for 8 foot tall and 8 to 9 foot wide garage doors.
Overall, it’s the best garage door insulation kit on the market that offers great value for money and includes everything required for a simple installation.
Check it Out2. Owens Corning Garage Door Insulation
The Owens Corning garage door insulation kit is popular option that uses easy to install pre-cut panels. The brand states their product provides 5 times better thermal performance when compared to an insulated door, which is very impressive.
In terms of the installation, Owens Corning claim that it takes approximately 1 hour and all that is required is a tape measure, knife, straight edge and a marker. The fastening system and flexible insulation make it a quick and simple installation.
Other features of the Owens Corning R-8 Kit include:
- R-value of 8
- Uses fiberglass panels with a white vinyl
- Suitable for 9 feet wide and 7 feet 4 inch high garage doors
- 20% reduction in noise levels
- Easy to install pre-cut panels
- Unique fastening system for easy installation
The Owens Corning R-8 kit is an excellent insulation kit for garages doors with everything included in the box. It’s also slightly cheaper than the Matador alternative above and offers excellent value for the money.
Check it Out3. NASA Tech Reflective Garage Door Insulation
The NASA Tech kit uses a reflective foam core that provides an efficient insulation for all garage doors. In terms of the installation, it uses a heavy duty double sided tape, which makes it far easier to install when compared to similar alternatives.
Other features of the NASA Tech Insulation Kit include:
- Insulation r-value of 8
- Suitable for garage doors of 8 feet tall and 16 feet wide
- Uses sound reductions technology
- White vinyl finish on one side and the other is reflective
- Reduces passage of radiant heat by 95%
- Made in the USA
Finding garage door insulation kits that focus on double garages rather than just singular garage door can be difficult. Luckily, NASA TECH has this covered and it’s the best double garage door insulation kit on the market that doesn’t require combining two single kits.
Check it Out4. Anco Complete Garage Door Insulation Kit
The Anco Complete garage door insulation kit is a premium option that’s designed to fit the majority of garage doors. It uses a mixture of fiberglass and polymer materials with a 2 inch thickness to provide superior insulation qualities.
Other features of the Anco Garage Insulation include:
- Insulation r-value of 9
- Suitable for 9 feet wide garage doors
- Easy to install with no special tools required
- 2 inch thick construction
The Anco garage door insulation kit provides the best thermal performance compared against all the alternatives but you do have to pay a premium for this efficiency.
On top of the thermal performance, the insulation provides excellent noise reduction that makes your garage a more comfortable place to be.
Check it Out5. Reach Barrier 3009 Garage Insulation
Reach Barrier is another popular garage door insulation and is the cheapest within this article. It’s a DIY insulation kit that blocks up to 95% of radiant heat to reduce winter heating loss and is fairly lightweight to prevent the extra strain upon garage door openers.
Other features of the Reach Barrier Garage Insulation include:
- Suitable for garage doors of 8 feet wide
- R-value of 4.8
- Exceeds the latest ASTM fire codes
- Lightweight so won’t slow door openers
- Requires no maintenance or special tools to install
- Made in the USA
The construction of the insulation is fairly unique as it uses two layers of 5/32 inch bubble laminate between the radiant barrier, which provides extra performance.
Overall, it’s a cheap garage door insulation kit that performs well and is simple to install, which is the main reason for its popularity throughout the USA.
Check it Out6. SmartGARAGE Garage Door Insulation Kit
In terms of the insulation coverage, it measures as 18 feet wide and 7 feet in height, which the brand claims is easy to install.
Other features of the SmartGARAGE Insulation Kit include:
- Reflect 97% of radiant heat
- R-value of 6
- High quality aluminum reflective material
- Includes heavy duty double sided tape
- Box includes 4 individual rolls of insulation
It’s a DIY garage door insulation kit that the brand claims can be installed in less than an hour. The unique design creates an air pocket, which maintains the temperature by reducing heat loss in the winter and reducing the heat by 8 degrees in the summer.
Check it Out7. Cellofoam Garage Door Insulation Kit
The Cellofoam Kit is designed to provide garage door insulation for standard 9 feet doors and comes with easy to follow instructions. There are 8 pieces to the kit that measure up as 20 x 15 x 1.24 inches in size but you will require two kits for double garage doors.
In terms of the construction, the garage door insulation panels are made from modified expanded polystyrene and a rigid foamed plastic with resilient closed cells.
Other features of the Cellofoam Insulation Kit include:
- R-value of 4.8
- Quick and easy to install
- Professional and washable finish
- Excellent physical strength and water resistance
- Environmentally friendly and 100% recyclable
The Cellofoam insulation panels provide an effective temperature barrier and are built to the highest of standards. However, the main drawback is that they do come with a premium price tag but its a worthwhile investment that won’t disappoint.
Check it Out8. Reflectix BP24050 Insulation For Garage Door
Another affordable garage door insulation kit is the Reflectix BP24050, which is very similar to the Reach Barrier alternative. It’s constructed of two highly reflective layers of film with two inner layers of insulating bubbles for superior insulation.
It’s important to note that this garage door insulation comes as a large roll, which makes it ideal for large surface areas but requires lots of trimming.
Other features of the Reflectix BP24050 include:
- Insulation R-value of 4.55
- Class A and Class 1 fire rated
- Easy to handle and install
- Inhibits condensation
- Zero mess or itchy fibers
The Reflectix BP24050 kit is not only suitable for garage doors but it can also be used as insulation for roofs, walls and other applications. It’s an affordable option that comes in large rolls, which can be trimmed down to best suit your requirements.
Check it OutGarage Door Insulation Kit Buying Guide
Many people spend a lot of time in their garages, whether that is working on a car to using it as a gym. However, the garage is one place with the least-efficient use of energy since the garage door is made of wood, aluminum or steel.
They are usually uninsulated, which during summer or winter, temperature levels in the garage can reach both extremes. Investing into the best garage door insulation kit helps to prevent this from happening and improves the efficiency of your home.
To help you make an informed buying decision, we have produced the below guide regarding DIY garage door insulation kits.
Steps to Install Garage Door Insulation Kits
Installing an insulation kit to your garage door is not as hard as you would think. It can be completed by yourself but having another person to help does make things much easier. Below are some steps that you to follow in order to achieve a simple and stress free installation.
Preparing the Surface
As you are preparing the inside of the garage door, there is no need to worry about the state of the garage door facing outwards. However, installation of an insulator needs adhesive which requires a clean surface to stick to, thus cleaning of the garage doors is vital.
To ensure that the garage door is completely clean, you can use either acetone or a degreaser and later wiping it down with warm water. Once it dries up, you can then apply the adhesive to the door.
Application of the Adhesive
Double sided tape is a popular choice for a strong adhesive and most kits comes with multiple Velcro adhesive squares too. For tab installations, you should follow the instructions on the manual because the application of adhesive tabs is the most time-consuming of the whole process.
The next step is removing the protective covers from the tabs and sticking them to the door. You can then follow up by removing the second protective cover from the adhesive part in contact with the barrier.
Test Fit Some Panels
Before removing the outer protective adhesive casings, test to see if the panels fit. Carry out a test install before the adhesive sticks to the panels because this enables you to determine which panels need adjustment or trimming to fit perfectly.
Trimming of the Panels
Overlaps on the edges of the barrier’s insulation is not a bad thing but can be useful in ensuring the garage door insulation is held in place. You should measure the panels, adding several inches before carefully cutting. It’s more useful to expose the adhesive top rows before installing the top of the installation.
Subsequently, this is followed up by cutting the panels to leave a few inches at the bottom to wrap into the panel supports of the garage door.
Installation of Radiant Barrier Insulation Panels
Exposing the top row of adhesives and following that up with installing a panel at the topmost portion enables you to stretch the material before pushing it onto adhesive tabs. This has the effect of eliminating any wrinkles from showing after installation is complete.
Once the top part is in position, the panel’s lower part is removed out of the way and exposing the adhesive on the remaining tabs below. It’s followed by stretching the lower portion into place and applying pressure on the adhesive squares to ensure they stick.
Type of Insulation
The type of insulation kits available come with different properties, thickness, durability levels, shapes, cost per size, life spans and other factors. Below are the three most common types of insulation kits on the market.
Reflective Foil
This insulator is sold on rolls and usually has a thickness of about an inch and a half. Purchasing the reflective foil can either be a single file or double file, depending on your requirements.
In between the two aluminum foils is a layer of polyethylene foam, with double foil insulation coming with two coats of this foam. Despite not being aesthetically pleasing, the reflective foil is a very useful insulator especially for regions with hot climates as it is reflecting the radiant heat. Furthermore, its R-value ranges from 3.5 to 6 but this depends on how you apply it.
Polystyrene Foam
Usually sold in large sheets, polystyrene foam needs to be cut to a size equivalent to that of the garage door. This material is very rigid and provides high insulating values despite being of relatively little thickness. Furthermore, the material is more robust to work with in comparison to reflective foil and offers better insulation.
Panel Kits
For those who value aesthetics, panel kits is the best garage insulation to go for and are easier to install. They are made of plastic laminated polystyrene or fiberglass and the kit comes with pre-cut panels that comfortably fit into the channels of the garage door frame.
Polystyrene offers better insulation in comparison to fiberglass, but fiberglass is more resistant to mold and water. Installation of both these panels is fairly simple with both taking around an hour to fully install.
Factors to Consider when Choosing Insulator
Not all garage door insulation kits are the same and many can be fairly expensive. For that reason, its essential that you understand the basic factors to consider and what to look out for in order to get the best value for your money.
Effectiveness of Insulator
All garage door insulation are rated using the R-value rating system. It’s a system that measures how effective the insulation is at insulating the garage door. Insulation kits with a higher R-value will provide better insulating properties.
Installation Cost
Depending upon whether you plan to fit the garage door insulation yourself or not, you may have to budget in the installation. The installation is fairly easy but it’s understandable that not everyone has the time to do it themselves.
The Weight of the Insulator
For those that use an electric garage door opener, the added weight of the insulation may slow down and cause additional stress to the opener’s mechanism. If this is the case, you may want to look into upgrading the opener before adding additional weight to the door. However, most openers can handle a slight increase in weight.
Research your Garage Door
Not all garage doors are the same and you may not require that much garage door insulation. However, if the door has no insulation or padding whatsoever, you will want a complete kit that can be installed fairly easily.
Conclusion
Insulation for your garage door should be an essential component. It keeps the heat inside the garage during the cold winter months and the heat out during the summer. This instantly boosts the efficiency and pays for itself when you factor in wasted energy costs.
All the recommendations in this article are affordable and suit the majority of garage doors from single to double and even custom sizes. We advise that you take your time with your measurements before choosing a garage door insulation kit. The last thing you would want are panels that are too small or those that require lots of trimming.
We also recommend spraying garage door lubrication within any of the moving parts that will be covered up by the insulation. This saves time removing the insulation in case there are any problems in the future.
