Should you be concerned about garage door insulation if you live in the South, where it’s hot almost all year round? Yes, installing insulation in your garage door will help keep the garage cool and save you a ton of money you could have spent on electricity bills.
But before you go out and splash on a new insulation kit for your garage door, you need to know what kind of insulation works in hot climates. Not every insulation kit will be the best garage door insulation for hot climates.
If you want to find the best garage door insulation kit for hot weather, here are my top picks. I picked these insulation kits based on their performance in hot weather. Number one on the list is the US Energy NASATECH (Pre-Cut for 16 Panel) 2 Car Garage Door Reflective... * (#ad). It has a high R-Value of 8 and is easy to install, and is also large enough to fit most large doors.
In second place is the Reach Barrier 3009 Kit Garage Door Insulation, Silver * (#ad) . It is made from a reflective material and provides excellent insulation in hot weather. It comes in strips of 8 panels sufficient for larger garage doors.
Why Should I Insulate My Garage Door?
But before we get to the reviews, you may be wondering whether it’s really necessary to insulate your garage door. It may seem unnecessary if you live in an area with a hot climate, but there are benefits to insulating the garage door in hot climates.
Firstly, the insulation used in hot climate insulation is typically made of reflective materials. These materials reflect away heat from the sun from entering the garage. This means you get a cooler garage interior even in extremely hot temperatures.
This is important if you use your garage for more than parking your vehicle. If it is also an area you use as some kind of living quarters or workshop, you will want to keep it cool. And one way to do it is by installing garage door insulation.
What are the benefits of insulating my garage door?
- It helps keep the temperature in the garage at comfortable levels
- An insulation kit will reduce outside noises and make your garage quieter
- Insulating a garage door will improve its durability
- Insulating your garage door will allow you to park your vehicles in an environment with normal temperature
- Insulation kits are fire resistant and can provide added protection in case of a fire
Three Types Of Heat Transfer
To understand how hot climate insulation works, first, we need to understand the three types of heat transfer.
Conduction:
Conduction is heat transfer from one stationary object to another through physical contact. A good example of this is heat transferred from a stove’s electric burner to the bottom of a pan placed on top of the stove.
Convection:
Convection is the transfer of heat from a fluid, which can either be in liquid or gaseous form, from one location to another.
Radiation:
Radiation is the transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves. A good example of Radiation is heated from the sun.
What are NRC and R-value
You will find the terms NRC and R-value in the descriptions on most insulation kits. But what do these two terms mean? NRC stands for Noise Reduction Coefficient. This basically refers to how good a material is at absorbing sound.
The NRC measurement typically ranges from 0.0 to 1.0. A rating of 0.0 means that sound reflects off the surface. On the other hand, a rating of 1.0 means that sound passes through the surface.
On the other hand, R-value is a measurement of a material’s resistance to conductive heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the material is at resisting conductive heat flow.
What you need to know about garage door insulation kits
Before purchasing a garage door insulation kit, there are some things you need to know about them.
Types of insulation materials
There are several types of garage door insulation to choose from. The main types are made from these materials.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass is the most common insulation material made from small strands of glass and plastic filaments woven together. This material is affordable and is great at reducing the flow of heat as well as sound through an area.
However, since fiberglass is made of small shards of glass and glass powder, it can be dangerous to handle, especially without protective clothing and equipment.
Spray foam
Spray foam comes in the form of a foam you spray on the door. The foam creates insulation between the door and the outdoors. This type of insulation is inexpensive and easy to install. However, foam insulation kits are not the most effective insulation materials.
Rigid foam
Rigid foam is available in the form of styrofoam and is lightweight. It provides a reliable and effective insulation material. This material is easy to install, and it is easy to cut compared to other types of materials.
Cellulose
Cellulose is famed for being eco-friendly since it is made from recycled materials such as cardboard and paper. These materials are compacted to create insulation and contain almost no oxygen. Due to this lack of oxygen, this material can reduce fire damage.
Reflective insulation
Reflective insulation consists of a reflective material such as aluminum foil. These materials act as a radiant barrier and prevent the entry of radiant rays from the sun from entering the garage. This type of insulation is typically used in warm or hot climates.
How to install garage door insulation
The process of how to install garage door insulation is not as complicated as you may think. The steps involved are;
Step one: clean the door
The first thing to do is clean the door if it’s not clean. Dirt and smudges may contaminate the insulation and make it less effective.
Step two: measure the door.
The next step is to measure your door. This will help you know the amount of insulation you need for the door.
Step three: get the insulation.
For hot climates, you want door insulation made from reflective material. This can be aluminum foil.
Step four: consider the R-value.
The R-value is used to show how effective the insulation kit is. This value typically ranges from 3 to 9. For warm or hot climates, you want an insulation kit with a higher R-value of around 7 or 8.
Step five: cut the insulation.
Insulation kits typically come in panels or coils that you can cut. At this stage of the insulation process, cut the insulation material based on the door’s dimensions.
Step six: install the insulation.
The last step is installing the cut insulation panels into the door. For this step, you will require an adhesive to attach the panels. Most insulation kits come with adhesive included. However, you may need additional adhesive depending on the size of your door.
Tips To Follow: Garage door insulation for hot climate
Use a radiant barrier insulation material for hot climates. These can be aluminum foil or mylar, which are reflective materials that reflect radiant heat rays from the sun. Some people may opt to use cardboards or another type of wood garage door insulation kit. However, these are not as effective and can pose a danger in case of a fire.
When installing the insulation, cut off a few insulation strips to leave a gap for air between the door and the insulation. Ideally, the insulation should reach the top of the door to the bottom. There should be at least half an inch of space between the door and the insulation.
Best Garage Door Insulation For Hot Climates Reviews
US Energy NASATECH (Pre-Cut for 16 Panel) 2 Car Garage Door Reflective Insulation Kit
The US Energy NASATECH 2 car garage door reflective insulation kit comes with 4 rolls of insulation that are surprisingly lightweight. The panels are about ¼ inch thick. It also comes with plenty of material to fit a large double door and has an R-value of 8.
But how does it fare when it comes to cooling the inside of your garage. It is made up of a 5/16 inch thick foam core and does a good job of cooling the garage. The garage was about 15 degrees cooler when the temperatures were well above 90 degrees.
As stated, the panels are quite lightweight, which makes them easy to install. You can easily cut them with scissors to fit the dimensions of your garage door. The installation takes about 4 hours with the instructions guide provided.
While the panels of this 16 ft garage door insulation kit are pre-cut, they are big and tall, and if you have a panel-style door, it will require a lot of cutting. This can make installation more lengthy.
Reach Barrier 3009 Garage Door Insulation Kit
The Reach Barrier 3009 garage door insulation kit is significantly cheaper than my top pick. However, it does a great job of cooling a garage, especially if you have a west-side facing door. This insulation kit is made up of reflective insulation polyethylene.
There are also two layers of 5/32 inch barrier bubbles that sit between the two layers of reflective polyethylene. With this installed, you should notice a temperature difference of about 20 degrees, especially when it’s hot outside.
This insulation kit is packaged in 8 reach barrier insulation panels. You also get a bond adhesive tape and a garage door cleaner sponge. The included installation guide is easy to follow and will make installation easy.
The insulation kit will be sufficient for an 8 sqft garage door. If you have a larger door of, let’s say, 16 feet, you will need to buy two insulation kits. Also, the adhesive pads are not very sticky.
Cellofoam Garage Door Insulation Kit – 8 Foam Panels
You may not think much about the cellofoam garage door insulation kit with 8 foam panels at first glance, but looks can be deceiving. The panels have vinyl sheeting on one side, making your garage door look awesome.
However, you aren’t buying insulation to improve the aesthetics of your garage door. And in keeping your garage cool, this insulation kit excels as well. I live in San Antonio and have installed this on a 2 car garage door.
It can get pretty hot here, especially in the afternoon when the temperature reaches 95. With this insulation, the temperature in my garage does not go beyond 80 degrees, though. In terms of installation, it took about one and a half hours to install.
Its R-value of 4.8 is a bit low compared to that of other options available in the market. The US Energy NASATECH insulation kit has an R-value of 8
Reflectix BP24050 24-Inch-by-50-Foot Bubble Pack Insulation
The metallic foil Reflectix BP24050 25 inch by 50-foot bubble pack insulation is another great option for those hot summer days. It is excellent at repelling radiant light from the sun to keep your garage cooler.
With temperatures soaring up to 80 degrees, this bubble pack insulation will keep the inside of your garage 20 to 25 degrees cooler than the outside. Also, it is quite big and should fit most large garage doors.
When it comes to installation, it is pretty straightforward and will take you about 2 hours to get the job done. You will need to cut it to fit the dimensions of your garage door, but this is to be expected with any insulation pack.
If you have a single garage door, then this pack of insulation will be a bit too large for you. Also, it is aluminum on both sides and does not look as good as some other options on the list. However, this is a small trade-off.
NASA TECH White Reflective Foam Core 2 Car Garage Door Insulation Kit
Measuring 18 feet wide and 8 feet high, this NASA Tech white reflective foam core insulation kit is designed for a 2 car garage door. And like the other NASA tech insulation on the list, this one is also lightweight. It also has an R-value of 8.
It comes in 4 rolls of 2ft and 18ft white foil foam core. This white foil foam will help repel radiant light from the sun and keep your garage cool even when temperatures soar outside. You will notice a 10 to 20 degrees temperature drop after installing the kit.
The installation is straightforward, and you get a heavy-duty double-sided tape, a razor, and a squeegee. It also comes with easy-to-follow instructions. For a 2 car door garage, it should take you about 2 hours.
The included tape is not enough, and you have to add more when installing. However, this additional tape requirement is for larger doors and will not be the case for everyone.
Matador EP1323054_02 SGDIK002 Garage Door Insulation Kit
The matador EP1323054 has 8 high-impact polystyrene laminate panels. These panels seem to be more flexible than cellofoam panels found in most insulation kits. As such, this kit is easier to install than most.
Its ease of installation is one of the reasons I included it on the list. The second is that it does its job just like the other insulation kits on the list. It will help keep your garage cool during hot summer days. And you should notice about a 6-degree temperature difference.
While it keeps your garage cool during summer, it will also keep it warm during the winter months. The installation will take about an hour of your time. Furthermore, it is an excellent sound reducer as well.
This insulation kit is not as effective as some of the others on the list to keep temperatures low. However, it is still a great option for your garage door for the price.
What To Consider Before Deciding To Get The Best Garage Door Insulation For Hot Climate
When looking for the best garage door insulation kit for hot weather, what should you consider? There are several things to consider, including;
Insulation kit size
Insulation kits come in panels of different sizes. Depending on the size of your garage door, you may be forced to cut the panels. Ideally, you want an insulation kit that is close in size to the dimensions of your garage door. If you have a large door, then larger insulation panels will be ideal.
But if your door is small such as a one-car door, then a large panel will involve a lot of cutting, which can be time-consuming.
Insulation kit material
What is the best way to insulate a garage door? The best way to insulate for hot weather is by using an insulation kit made of material that repels radiant light. There are several materials used to make foam insulation kits for garage doors.
Fiberglass is the most common and has a good R-Value of over 7; it is also durable. Its main downside is that it is not easy to cut off. However, it is affordable compared to other similar materials.
Spray foam is another material used to make insulation kits. This material is in the form of foam that is sprayed. Spray foam insulation kits are affordable but not as effective as some other materials. It makes a good secondary insulation kit if you already have another type of insulation installed in your garage.
On the other hand, Rigid foam is made of styrofoam and is lightweight and easy to cut. This makes it easy to install. Cellulose is great for hot weather and is much better than fiberglass since it is easy to install.
The downside with cellulose is that it is a pricey material. Fiberglass will be ideal for an affordable insulation kit because of its affordability and effectiveness.
The R-value
R-Value is a measurement used to determine how good an insulation material is at reflecting heat away. The higher the R-value, the better the material is at reflective heat. Therefore for hot weather insulation, a high R-value is recommended.
A lower R-value will be ideal if you are insulating a garage door for winter. Typically metal garage door insulation kits will have an R-value of 7 or higher. And an R-Value of 7 and above is what you want.
NRC value
Garage door insulation kits are designed primarily for insulating your garage door and not noise reduction. However, insulation kits are built with noise reduction capabilities. If this is important to you, check for the insulation kit’s NRC value.
NRC stands for noise reduction coefficient and measures how well an insulation kit is at reducing noise from outside. An NRC value of 0.5 and over will be ideal if you want to keep out noises.
Toxicity levels
Insulation kits are sometimes made using toxic chemicals that will be harmful to your health. Thus it is important to check what chemicals are used to make an insulation kit. More importantly, check for certifications from relevant authorities on toxicity.
Ease of installation and weight
Different types of garage door insulation have varying weights. How bulky an insulation kit is will impact how easy it is to install. Typically lightweight kits tend to be easier to install. Thus it is important to check how heavy a kit is.
Secondly, the accessories included, such as adhesive tape, will be important to determine how easy a kit is to install.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best R-Value for a garage door insulation kit?
An R-value of 7 and over will be ideal for garage door insulation in hot climates. A lower R-value will be best suited for winter weather.
What is the best type of insulation for my garage door?
For warm weather, you want an insulation type that reflects heat away. Fiberglass and cellulose are both great options for hot weather insulation.
Should I purchase a garage door insulation kit?
Suppose you want to keep the inside of your garage cool regardless of temperatures outside during hotter months and warm during colder months. In that case, a garage door insulation kit will be a good idea.
Will insulating my garage door keep the garage cool?
Yes, however, you need to use reflective insulation material designed to reflect away radiant light from the sun.
Conclusion
There are many different insulation options for insulating your garage door. However, the insulation kit you opt for should suit hot climates. The best garage door insulation for hot climates needs to reflect radiant heat from the sun to keep your garage warm.
Last Updated on February 14, 2024 by Rifen
I also live in SATX and saying 95 is generous considering 100+ is common. I have a one car garage 😭 and want to insulate it to the max. Would reflective material followed by rigid foam or fiberglass be the most effective? Also what about the edges and seams? Are there any recommendations for those areas? Flexible table for the folding seams? Extra door seal on the sides? I’m not a fan of the heat so I want to OVER insulate so I can work in the garage during the hottest days of summer. BTW, I am considering a mini split AC unit as well. Thank you