Change the Function of Your Garage with Insulation

By: Annabelle Krieger
Submitted: 2008-09-30 00:04:33
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No matter what sort of function the garage plays in your life, it is always a sensible decision to insulate this area of your home. In fact, insulating the garage can be one of the best investments you make on lowering utility bills and to protect the belongings you store inside your garage, plus, reducing the noise of various tools and equipment used in the garage. Extreme shifts in temperature throughout the year can inflict more damage to the things you might typically store inside the space than you would think. If you are using your garage as an extension to the living space of your home, you will certainly want to take extra steps to make the room inviting without incurring a lot of added costs for cooling and healing.

First, realize that your garage will need to be insulated on all three walls, the door, plus the ceiling and floor (yes, the floor). Choosing which type of insulation to use starts with a check of your walls - are they masonry? Stud construction? Are the studs noticeable from inside the garage? If you have masonry walls in your garage, you are one of the unlucky few; masonry walls are very difficult to insulate and potentially not remotely worth the expense to do so. If your walls have stud construction, the most favorable scenario is if the studs are, indeed, exposed. If not, it could still be worthwhile to insulate, but it could be very time and knowledge intensive, and you'll most likely have to employ a professional to spray foam insulation.

If you are one of the many homeowners with exposed-stud construction in the garage, you now need to decide which style of insulation you want to use. R-value (quality), size, and material are all variables. Higher R-value insulation is more successful, but also costs more. You'll probably be going with blanket-type insulation, as it's the most common, and though it's usually constructed of fiberglass, you can also locate cotton-made blanket insulation. Determining the size of insulation is simply a matter of measuring between the studs in your garage, as well as the depth from the outer edge of the stud to the wall. It's up to you what you want to cover the insulation with after installation. Drywall is a popular choice, as is pegboard. You can install either of these choices yourself if your handy.

The most common forms of insulation are made from substance of fiberglass, cotton or polyurethane foam. When putting in fiberglass, you must take more precautions to shield your face, lungs and any skin that may be exposed to the material. Other less common forms of insulation you might consider include reflective materials, which bounce heat back, and rigid materials, which possess a significantly high R-Value.

Every form of insulation must be encapsulated with some sort of enclosing material like pegboard or drywall. Once the major portions of your ceiling and walls are complete, make sure to take the additional measures to properly insulate the floors and garage door. Get a garage door that has a high R-Value to coincide with the climate changes you might experience in your area. Invest in some quality sealant as well to prevent rain water and drafts from entering underneath the door and to protect the surface of whatever type of flooring you have installed in your garage.

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