Should I insulate my parents' garage?

[lordherald]

Originally Posted by Xist

So, regardless of the product, pants, long sleeves, and shower afterward?

Definitely

The roxul should have a higher ignition temp than the fiberglass but you should still cover it at some point with drywall.

[WesternStarSCR]

Attic Foil Radiant Barrier - Garage Doors

Some various instructions on using various materials for garage doors, etc. they even recommend other products that they don't sell, such as the foil faced poly-iso, because you can get it locally and it fits nice. Also addresses ventilation ideas if keeping heat out is the major concern.

These are some solid ideas I need to pursue some day, since my door faces west and my garage heats up fast in the afternoon. Well worth reading about on this site.

[Goldenstate]

I used a single layer of the foil covered bubble wrap material on my garage door and was amazed at how much better the garage felt in winter and summer. I was so impressed that I installed a second layer of the same material with better results the next year.

I found the weight gain to be minimal and no adjustments needed to the springs or to the automatic opener tension adjustment. Things are also much quieter as well. The reflective surface bounces light off of the door serving to help brighten the garage as a bonus. It was very cost effective and simple to do with light gloves due to all of the sharp metal edges on the door sections.

Recently I purchased a laser infrared thermometer from the Horror Freight people and measured a friends east facing door on a hot summer morning. The temperature registered at 105 degrees at 1000Am in the morning. We installed a single layer of the aluminum faced bubble material that afternoon. The next morning at the same time the door temperature was only 75 degrees giving a 30 degree temperature reduction. He was amazed at how much cooler his garage was and did his big shop door a few days later.

For checking heat and cold issues around the house, the laser powered thermometer pays for itself in no time at all. I just wish I had bought one sooner.

[Xist]

I had planned on going to Mom's house last weekend and helping out with projects, but until the night before, she had not thought of anything important she needed me to do. However, Friday night she asked if I could insulate her garage, which seemed like a big project.
Saturday morning was a mess and I did not drive up there until the late afternoon, but I felt I did not have time to spare, so I drove past her house another twenty minutes to Lowe's. I wanted to purchase sheet foam, apparently the foil-sided stuff was the way to go, but I was not eager to strap foam board to the top of my car during a rain storm. That is yet another reason I wish I could have planned ahead and had this delivered. I bought two of these kits: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Insulfoam-R...-5-ft/50244957. $57 each, but one nice feature, aside from being cut to the height of the door panels, was the cuts in the back, which made it easier to bend. Also, the side you see has plain white plastic on it, without writing or markings, like foam board would have, but twice the price!

I kind of wish I had known about this product: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Johns-Manvi...2-ft-L/3033536

It is wrapped in plastic, which I like for various reasons, but it only came in one 32’ roll for $19.91. I would have needed six for $119.46

Home Depot does not sell Roxul within a hundred miles of her house or mine. The Lowe’s link I shared before is currently $57.35 for twelve half-length batts. I would have needed four for $229.40. They stay in place with tension, so they would not require facing or anything else for that reason, but I would still need to cover them out of concern my autistic brother would pick at it. I forgot I would need to special order it, although I never checked a store near me.

I could have bought it here and driven it up, although each package weighs 48.91 pounds, so like having one very fluffy passenger.

You are supposed to use the same protective equipment as fiberglass, even though it is 100% fiberglass-free. They did have this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Johns-Manvi...-in-L/50133330, which sounds like Roxul, but is $21.88 for seven half-length batts, and still contains fiberglass. I would have needed seven for $153.16. An employee convinced me to purchase this: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Johns-Manvi...3-in-L/3011685, $51.88 for eleven full-length batts. Two did the job for $103.76, plus a staple gun.

Mom filled Dad’s old parking spot with storage, although she says there are many old cardboard boxes that need to be cut up and recycled. I have long wanted to get her steel shelves. For some reason I thought I would start working on that first, but I do not know why I would do anything before installing drywall, although we realized the inside door is hollow, while fire code requires a solid door, which I bought, but I need to trim it down, and I find that prospect to be very exciting.

So, when I am able to continue the job, I plan on installing drywall (which I will have delivered!), trim and install the door, and start going through the stuff in the garage. There are also pegboard, shelves, and other things attached to the other wall, and I would need to remove that first.

I also insulated above the garage door, so the garage is now one-quarter insulated. Mom excitedly said “The garage is no longer freezing! Don’t you need a warm coat?”

I would like to install sprinklers in the spring, but it looks like that is more expensive than I would have thought.

[freebeard]

What is an 'Ecomuggler'?

[ME_Andy]

Wondered the same thing many times. Lol. Kinda makes sense if you've seen Harry Potter

[freebeard]

I never appreciated Rowling's appropriation of the word.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muggles_(recording)

It was recorded in Chicago on December 7, 1928. The title refers to the use of the word "muggles" as a slang term for marijuana amongst jazz musicians of the 1920s and 1930s. Armstrong was an enthusiastic user of marijuana, which was legal in most American states at the time.

[ethonof]

The typical sectional door used on your garage means the workspace will be either freezing in winter or stinking hot in summer.

I bought a product called Aircell Retroshield garage door insulation from Bunnings. A 1350mm wide roll by 6000mm long (8m2) is a bit over $100. You'll need two for your typical double garage door. The insulation material is like an industrial heavy duty bubble wrap sandwiched between two layers of reinforced aluminium foil. It's about 8mm thick. I also bought two cans of aerosol spray contact glue.

I measured and cut the material into panels and then stuck them to the door with contact glue. I wiped down each section first with Acetone. The stuff has stuck like the preverbial to the blanket.

It's made a huge difference. If your ceiling isn't insulated throw some batts in to complete the job.

Anyway thanks for this topic

[Xist]

Ethonof, thanks for the information. I ended up using two styrofoam kits for $57 each to insulate the door and spent a little less on fiberglass insulation for the walls.

Have a great day!