What Can We Do About Condensation
The first option, is you install a heating system. Dont worry, its not as hard core as it might sound. Theres plenty of kits out there that are perfectly suitable for garages. Heres an electrically powered example from Home Depot Dr Infra Red Heater
The other option is you install a dehumidifier in your garage. Ideally one with auto detection. This means that it will automatically turn on when the moisture level in the air is too much and remove any potential condensation. Like this GE 70pt Dehumidifier
There are units that do both heating and dehumidifying! In my opinion this is the best way to go. Especially if you plan on turning it into a kids play area or office.
Types Of Insulation For Your Garage And How To Choose One
Kelly Bacon is a licensed general contractor with over 40 years of experience in construction, home building and remodeling, and commercial building. He is a member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.
Don Nichols / Getty Images
Insulation for your garage is typically the same insulation you use inside your home to plug up air holes and reduce the amount of colder air coming into the space and the warmer air leaving the space. It makes sense to insulate your garage, especially if you’re planning to heat the space. Some types of insulation are better than others for a garage, depending on whether the space is finished or not. You may also want to look at insulating the garage door, which has different installation requirements than walls or ceilings.
Can You Insulate The Garage Ceiling Without A Dry Wall
Ideally, installing the insulation without the dry wall is not advisable as the insulating material might react with the roofs vapor barrier and cause a fire. Plus, a dry wall gives a finished look to the insulating material and doesnt disturb your garages aesthetic. On the other hand, you can use fiberglass insulation without a dry wall as it is not only smooth and polished to look at but also resists fire effectively.
Don’t Miss: Garage Door Lubricant Silicone Or Lithium
Why Should I Insulate My Garage
Australia is an incredible place to live for so many reasons, but the climate can cause some serious headaches when it comes to keeping your home comfortable, and your garage is no exception. Anyone with a closed-in garage will tell you that you can barely breathe in the hot, stuffy air in summer, and it becomes an ice-box in winter.
Any uninsulated garage can have a big impact on your vehicles and garage items, but it creates an even bigger problem when its joined to your home.
If your garage is attached to the side of your house, especially if you have a room above it, that garage is funnelling heat and cold into your house and making your heating or cooling work double-time.
Were willing to bet you havent given garage insulation much thought until nowbut there is a lot to love. Lets dive in.
Keep your home more comfortable
Any home thats attached to an uninsulated garage will be impacted negatively, but if you live in a home with a room over the garage, the effects are much more noticeable. Every time someone opens that internal garage door, you get a blast of freezing air. And if its a bedroom over your garage, its like sleeping on top of a refrigerator in winter. All that cold air comes straight through the ceiling/ floor, costing you a lot in energy bills.
Lower those energy bills
Make your garage a useable space
Its good for your cars
So what is the best type of insulation for garages?
Or learn more about Foilboard® here.
Pros And Cons Of Insulating Your Garage
Lets dig into the pros and cons of garage insulation upgrades.
But first: Weve worked with thousands of homes and have found that three core home improvementsheat pump HVAC systems, insulation, and air sealingcan cut your energy waste up to 50%.
Full disclosure, home energy efficiency is our thing, so we might be a little biased, butwe know that insulation is one of the best home upgrades out there.
So of course we believe there are plenty of advantages to insulating your garage, especially if its attached to other living spaces that you pay to heat and cool.
But well list the cons, too!
Don’t Miss: Garage Door Seal Bottom Lowes
How To Insulate Your Detached Garage Ceilings
Fiberglass batts are often the simplest way to go here, although blown-in cellulose can also be a good option for detached garage ceiling insulation. Since youre not limited by stud sizes and since most energy loss occurs through the roof/ceiling of your structure, youll usually insulate the ceiling to a higher R-value than the walls. With fiberglass batts, simply push faced batts into the spaces between the rafters/trusses and staple them in place. If you plan to install blown insulation, youll need to put drywall or plywood on the ceiling first.
Tools Needed For Installation
You dont need a lot of tools to install insulation. The main things you will need are as follows:
- Ladder or scaffolding to easily reach the ceiling
- Box cutter knife for cutting insulation
- Staple gun for attaching facing and vapor barrier to ceiling joists
- Measuring tape for measuring gaps and lengths
- Safety glasses, long sleeve shirts, pants, and a dust mask. Fiberglass fibers can be itchy and irritating to the skin and you want to keep them out of your eyes and lungs.
You May Like: Spring On Garage Door Broken
What Is The Best Warm
The best insulation for garages in sunny areas is double-bubble radiant barrier. Photo: GreenLeaf Roofing
If one of your main concerns is keeping your detached garage cool during hot summers, its important to guard against the radiant heat of the suns rays. That being said, youll still want to add a conductive insulation if you plan to have air conditioning or heat in your garage.
Too Much Noise Coming From The Garage
Integral garages, dont just bring in cold air but also allow for noise to travel. A garage is often used as an extension of the living space, so it is normal to hear the sound of the washing machine or other noises associated with the space. If your garage is also the area where your kids play, you might be feeling lucky that you are reading this article.
Also Check: 12×20 Shed With Garage Door
What Are Your Options
Insulating the ceiling of a garage is slightly different to insulating say insulating the walls. The main thing to be aware of is the fire safety aspect of it. Fire safety rated insulation can buy you precious minutes during an emergency. Its a no brainer in my book. Get fire resistant insulation!
Just like in my article where I covered insulating your entire garage there are 2 possible avenues you could go down. The first ones quicker to install but costs a whole lot more and the second is cheaper, performs at a similar level but takes waaaaay longer to get setup.
After searching around Home Depot heres what I found:
SilveRBoard R5 Radiant Acoustic Insulation Kit
This stuff is a foam board style setup that is suitable for fixing to both walls and ceilings. Its also moisture rated which is important when you want to take into account condensation that can form in your garage. Especially on the ceiling. My garage ceiling used to sweat like it had been in the gym for a hard workout. I fixed this by installing a dehumidifier. Now its one of my favorite rooms in the house!
The pros of this its a lot easier to set up than traditional fiberglass rolls of insulation. You can fix it way easier and requires less tooling.
You can also combine it with some Amvic High density insulation which has a nice exterior pattern that could form the ceiling of your garage. Removing the need to put up dry wall.
Owens Corning R-30 Kraft Faced Fiberglass Insulation
What Will I Need To Install Myself
If you are going to tackle the daunting task of insulating your garage ceiling on your own, you will need the following items:
- Fiberglass insulation: measure the linear feet around the entire room and multiply it by the height of the room to get the square footage. We recommend buying an extra unit of insulation. You can always return it if you dont use it.
- Expanding foam: this will allow you to fill gaps and cracks in your wall. Expanding foam comes in a low-expanding and high-expanding form.
- Drywall: the same measuring technique and purchasing recommendation as insulation applies.
- Gloves and long sleeves: Fiberglass can irritate your skin. We suggest wearing gloves and clothing for protection.
Don’t Miss: Replace Garage Door Opener Remote
How Do I Tell If My Garage Ceiling Has Insulation In It
Even if you dont have a room directly above the garage its important to check if theres already insulation there. It could be that the building contractor installed some during the construction of the house. This is more likely if the house you live in is newer and less likely if its an older construction.
Its also dependent on which state youre from since the US is pretty big right!? And the seasonality in Idaho is gonna be way different to Hawaii. So check with your local authority on this and figure out if was something that was installed with the house. There could be some extra useful information in there as well such as what type of insulation was used. For instance fire resistant insulation vs none fire resistant varieties.
What Does Insulating A Detached Garage Cost
Its hard to say because it depends on a couple of key factors that well list below. The way you price out an insulation job is by square foot of wall or ceiling space. For example Owens Corning R-19 insulation is about $65 per batt which covers around 85 sq. ft. That works out to around $1.50 per sq. ft. when you factor in waste and staples. For a 20 deep x 10 high garage wall thats $300. Your average 2 car single story garage ends up costing around $1200 $1500.
Here are the important cost factors to consider:
- The R-value of your insulation. R-13, R-19, R-21 and pretty standard for wall but we go all the way up to R-38 in some ceilings. Each type has a different cost.
- The type of insulation matters too. Batt has a different price than blown in or foam.
- Added features in the insulation also add to the cost. Things like extra soundproofing for example.
- Quality also matters. As with most things you can but, some brands are better than others.
Insulation isnt that expensive and makes a good DIY project. Just make sure to wear the required safety equipment. We recommend installing more than you think youll need just in case. It wont cost much more to put R-19 in the walls instead of R-13 so you may as well do it. Assuming you have enough wall thickness.
Dont skimp on quality either. The better brands really are better and theyre not that much more expensive.
Don’t Miss: Modern Faux Wood Garage Doors
Air Sealing Before Garage Insulation
An uninsulated garage has lots of air gaps. So, in addition to properly insulating your floor, ceiling, walls, and doors, filling those air gaps is also necessary. If you fail to do that, your insulation wont make much of a difference.
You can seal those gaps before starting your garage insulation project. First, spot these gaps and then go around your garage with a can of spray foam insulation and fill the gaps and holes.
How Much Does It Cost To Insulate A 2
Garage insulation costs can vary depending on the total square footage of the garage space. The average square footage of a two-car garage in the U.S. is 576 square feet. On average, the cost to insulate a garage using batt insulation can range anywhere from $0.50 to $1.25 per square foot. Installing blow-in insulation can range anywhere from $1 to $2.50 per square foot. So for an average-sized two-garage, you can expect to pay anywhere from $238 to $1,440 for the insulation.
Also Check: Garage Door Sensor Lights Not On
How To Insulate A Garage Ceiling
If youre the DIY type, I want to give a little overview of how youd go about adding insulation to your garage ceiling.
This isnt meant to be a how-to guide. Instead, think of it as a way to determine if you should DIY it or hire a professional.
First, lets take a look at some of the stuff youll need.
Should I Insulate An Unheated Detached Garage
While there is some debate on the topic, the short answer is: Yes, its generally not a bad idea to insulate an unheated garage. There are numerous factors that affect the answer to that question, but here are a few things to consider.
Insulation helps prevent drastic temperature swings during the summer and winter months. Thats especially important during winters in climate zones above 4 and during summers in climate zones below 6. Preventing extreme temperatures will help to protect any cold- or heat-sensitive items stored in your garage.
Additionally, if you ever plan to work or spend more than a few minutes in your garage, it will be much easier to temporarily heat with a small space heater if the walls and ceilings are at least somewhat insulated.
Also Check: Why Won’t My Garage Door Close
Garage Insulation: Pros And Consplus Why And Where To Insulate
Is it worth insulating your garage? It depends. Get the scoop in this comprehensive guide.
Is it worth insulating your garage? It depends. Get the scoop in this comprehensive guide.
Garages are a great asset to have, but lets face it: If you have one attached to your home, its likely that its radiating heat into your house in the summerand making attached rooms feel really cold in the winter.
If thats happening to you, guess what? Youve got a insulation problem.
In this homeowner guide, well be taking a deep dive into the importance of garage insulation, the pros and cons of insulating garages, and why and how it works to make your house more comfortable and reduce energy waste in your home.
Youll also get answers to some of the most common questions our team gets about garage insulation. That way, youll be better equipped to decide if insulating your garage is an investment you want to undertake.
Feel free to use this quick index to jump ahead:
But first things first: This guide primarily covers existing homes and garages.
Is Insulating A Detached Garage Worth The Money
After were asked if a detached garage should be insulated, the next question is always, is it worth the money?
And it really depends. If we had to give a blanket one size fits all answer then wede say yes. With so many potential benefits and no real drawbacks why not include it just in case. Its not that expensive compared with the cost of building the garage. If your spending $30,000 building a new detached garage why not spend another $1200 to insulate it just in case. One the garage is sheetrocked you cant go back and do it later unless you spend even more on demo and redoing the sheetrock. It makes sense to us to do it all the first time.
Another benefit is resale value. Even though you may not want the garage insulated your potential buyer might. Its not worth losing a sale over.
Insulation is another great selling point. An insulated detached garage is a feature that could make your home stand out in a crowded real estate market.
However it really all depends on what your using the garage for. If your not concerned with the ROI and are just thinking practically then you may not need it. If all your using the garage for is a storage shed then it wont matter much. Unless of course your storing wine, cigars, artwork, papers, comic books, antique cars, or other valuable collectibles that may be damaged by humidity. Thats assuming you live in a humid climate.
Don’t Miss: Plastipro Loc Heavy Duty Garage Floor Tiles
Cost To Insulate A 2424 Garage
For every square foot of insulation, you would have to pay between $0.30 and $2.00. Labor costs range from $0.80 to $1 per square foot.
That means that the insulation of a 24×24 garage is going to cost you from $172.8 to $1,152 if you decide to install the insulation yourself. If you are planning on inviting an expert to help you with the installation, then you might be paying $633.6-$1,728 per square foot.
When You Should Insulate The Garage
If your homes HVAC system does extend into the garage, then the attic above it should be insulated as it would for any other room of the house. This will serve the same function of keeping hot or cold air inside the garage as it does for the rest of the house.
A garage attic also should be insulated is if there is an air-conditioned room above the garage. The insulation will keep the naturally hot or cold air in the garage and the artificially warmed or cooled air in the room above it.
If someone spends a lot of time in the garage, insulating it may improve their comfort, even if it doesnt lower any bills. Homeowners also should insulate a garage completely, including in the attic above it, if they plan on turning the garage into another air-conditioned room.
Recommended Reading: Garage Shelving At Home Depot