Despite the many benefits of garage door insulation, not all Australian homes have this nifty upgrade. Most guides won’t even mention insulation as a factor to consider when choosing garage doors.
But if you’re looking to save on electricity bills and preserve the lifespan of your garage door, garage door insulation might be for you. The energy savings and the low initial costs mean that you can break even in just a few years.
We’re going to take a look at some of the different types of garage door insulation and what the costs are for them. We will explore the world of garage door insulation, what the associated benefits are, the different types, and what factors affect the overall price.
If you want the short version, expect to pay $300 – 900 to insulate your garage door. Whether you pay the lower or higher end of this range will depend on your preferences.
The different types of garage door insulation
When you’re choosing an insulation material for a garage door or any part of your home, your budget and preferences are the two main factors to consider.
Different types of materials may be used to insulate a garage door. Using one over the others has certain advantages and disadvantages. The most common types of garage door insulation include:
- Fibreglass Batt Insulation – Fibreglass, also known as glass wool, is the most common type of insulation in homes and garages. You can buy them either pre-cut or in long blankets. You can also purchase loose-fill fibreglass. The pre-cut batts are especially easy to install, but it’ll be difficult to fit them into small cavities. On the other hand, the loose-fill type can be blown into crevices and can even be blown into finished ceilings for garage ceiling insulations.
- Cellulose Fibre Insulation – Cellulose fibre is a loose-fill material, and it’s getting more popular by the minute. Aside from being a highly effective solution for Australian homes, it’s an environmentally friendly one, too. Cellulose is made from old cardboard and newsprints. These are recycled and treated with a fire retardant like borax, boric acid, or inorganic salts. Because of how it’s made, cellulose fibre is fire-resistant and can block up to 100% of heat transference.
- Rigid Foam Insulation – Polystyrene, polystyrene, and polyisocyanurate are the most common materials used in rigid foam insulation, though polyisocyanurate tends to be the most effective. Rigid foam is also known as foam board. People usually go with rigid boards because they’re easy to cut and they’re fantastic insulators. You can cut them to fit even small spaces, and you won’t need any specialised tools to install them. These are the top reasons why rigid foams are more popular with homeowners looking to undertake DIY garage door insulation projects. Not all of them are fire-resistant, however.
What impacts garage door insulation pricing?
The cost of garage door insulation is affected by multiple criteria. The six major factors to take note of include:
- R Rating – This is a metric of the thermal efficiency of a given material. The higher, the better, though only to a certain point: it makes little sense to have a garage door with an R rating of 6 while leaving the walls uninsulated. The R value will be affected by the material, the density, and the thickness of the material.
- Total surface area – Priced per square metre, the more you buy, the more you’ll pay. For garage doors, the surface area is often quite small, which means a reduced cost with increased benefits.
- Thickness – The thicker the insulation, the more you will pay for it. But it will have a higher R rating to offset this cost. You don’t want it too thick, as it can weigh on the garage door with a slight but subtle impact over time.
- Material type – Different materials will be priced differently. There are different prices for fibreglass, cellulose fibre, and rigid foam (polystyrene, polyurethane, and polyisocyanurate).
- Delivery fees – There will be a delivery charge unless the provider offers a pickup service.
- Installation fees – Unless the panels are designed to be easy to install, you may have to hire a professional. This can add to the overall cost.
What are the costs for the different kinds of garage door insulation?
Garage door insulation costs will largely depend on the type of material used as well as the total surface area. Below, you’ll find a list of costs for typical kinds of garage door insulation. Rigid foam tends to be the most popular for multiple reasons such as thermal efficiency, price, and ease of installation.
Take the R ratings with a grain of salt. It’s certainly not a standard calculation but rather a very dynamic equation. A lot will depend on the insulation in the surrounding area (walls, ceiling, etc.) as well as what your garage door is made of and your local weather conditions.
Most material described as insulation will have an R rating of at least 0.4 per 25mm thickness in terms of the Australian R value. The Australian R value is 5.7 times lower than the R value used in the USA, and this can be quite confusing to customers. The table below denotes the Australian R value.
Insulation Type | Average R Value (25mm Thick) | Low End Cost (per m2) | High End Cost (per m2) |
---|---|---|---|
Rigid Foam: Polyisocyanurate (PIR) | 1.4 | $12 | $18 |
Rigid Foam: Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) | 0.7 | $7 | $12 |
Rigid Foam: Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) | 0.9 | $12 | $15 |
Spray Foam Insulation (SPF) | 0.7 | $15 | $50 |
Fibreglass Batt Insulation | 0.6 | $9 | $45 |
Blow-in Fibreglass | 0.5 | $25 | $50 |
Radiant Barrier Insulation | 0.7 | $6 | $25 |
What would be the total cost for garage door insulation?
You might want to convert your garage into an additional bedroom. You may be thinking of turning it into a hobby room where you and your kids can bond and enjoy. Or you might just want some additional functional space inside your home. Whatever the reason is for insulating your garage, you’re going to need to set aside some budget for your project.
On average, you can expect to spend around $300 – 900 to insulate your garage door. Like any other home improvement project, different factors can affect the cost of insulating your garage doors. If you want to reduce costs, keep in mind that a small amount of insulation goes a long way.
Insulating your garage door is often a far better investment in comparison to other areas. This is because it costs less as it has a smaller surface area and a lesser R rating is needed. The insulation needs to be less thick and cover a shorter area. You can also install it yourself. In contrast, other areas will cost far more and you may need to hire a professional to do it.
Insulating a roof or the walls can easily cost you $2,500 – 5,000 depending on the material, labour, and total surface area.
Should I get an insulated garage door?
It’s easier and definitely cheaper to insulate an already existing door than paying for a new door. The cost will then only depend on which insulation material you choose to use. Garage doors can be extremely expensive, so you should look for ones that last long and come with strong warranties. Even then, you’ll need to conduct maintenance.
You’ll often pay between $1,200 – 2,500 for high-quality garage doors with insulation capabilities. Some pre-made insulated garage doors have 20-year, 25-year, or lifetime warranties. They may come in different designs, R-values, colours, finishes, and morrock casino materials. Some even have garage windows included. They come in various standard sizes to fit most standard door frames.
Can I install the garage door insulation myself to reduce costs?
The best thing about insulating garage doors is that you may not need professional help to get it done. If you can collect the insulation yourself, you can even cut out delivery fees, which is an added bonus. Unlike other materials, insulation is light and easily transported.
If you want something that you can install without any special tools, go with rigid foam or fibreglass blankets. If you’re going to use loose-fill materials, you can buy or rent the special tools needed for the installation. Some professional installers that sell DIY insulation kits may also rent out or sell installation equipment. The cost of getting loose-fill materials like cellulose or spray foam for insulation heavily depends on the size of the area to be filled.
Expert installations are a tad more expensive because you’re paying additional for labour. In reality, what you’re really paying for is the quality of work and the guarantees that they can offer. Where possible, opt for providers that offer easy install panels so you can cut down on labour fees.
What are the benefits of insulated garage doors?
Insulation of garage doors and whole garages can come with a hefty price tag. So, why do Australians even bother insulating their garages? It’s because the benefits far outweigh the costs.
- Comfort – Garages aren’t just spaces for storage and parking cars. You can turn this space into an extra bedroom, a living room, a hobby room, or even a game room. If the wide garage doors are left uninsulated, they can be significant sources of heat during summers. During winters, insulated garage doors can help keep the garage space warm.
- Noise Reduction – People use their garages for DIY, handicraft, band practice, and many other hobbies. Noisy power tools and instruments can be disturbing for your neighbours and other family members. Insulation in the doors, walls, and ceilings can help keep the noise within the room, so people outside can enjoy their peace. And it’s a two-way thing, too. An insulated garage is as good a place as any to enjoy some quiet alone time.
- Energy Efficiency – If your garage is attached to your house and any part of your HVAC system goes through it, your utility bills suffer. When HVAC systems go through uninsulated rooms and areas, the systems are forced to work harder. This is because the uninsulated rooms can get extremely hot or extremely cold. Garage doors play a big part in the temperature of your garage area.
- Value – Anything that helps bring down utility costs is a welcome addition to any Australian home. It applies to energy-efficient appliances and solar panels, and it applies to insulated garage doors too. And like the other upgrades, it should be easy for you to recoup insulation installation costs if you ever decide to sell your home as well.
You can message us here at KoolDoor if you need professional help installing an insulated garage door. But, if you’re looking to DIY, we have some beginner-friendly garage door insulation videos as well. Be sure to check them out.
We only use the best PIR materials and offer DIY kits so you can complete the installation within three hours. Our prices are clearly displayed so you know how much you will pay and can figure out how much you’ll save.
To get the best ROI on garage door insulation nationwide, call us now on 1300 37 38 39.