Ready To DIY Your Garage Door Insulation? Make Sure To Rebalance The Door At The End

Garage door insulation can sometimes be a contentious subject. For starters, there are those who wonder whether door insulation kits actually work. Then there are questions about which kit to choose, and finally, some people say you need to make sure to rebalance the door at the end, but not everyone thinks that's necessary. 

Whether you need to insulate your garage door or not will largely depend on how you use your garage. A DIY kit is likely to be somewhere between $50 and $150, so if it's just for your car and storage, you may not want to spend the money. On the other hand, if you use it as a workshop or you're going to turn your garage into another fun and functional room, it's probably worth the investment for the extra sound reduction and heat retention it can add.

Some experts think that whatever insulation you add, you should have your garage door weighed and new springs installed. Others advise that if you add less than 10 pounds to a typical double garage door, it may not be necessary. To make an informed decision, it's a good idea to look at the type of garage door insulation you might use and whether rebalancing is a DIY job or you need to call in the pros.

There's plenty of advice around on how to choose the right insulation for your garage, but not so much for the best garage door insulation if you want it to remain fully functional. Actually, the choices are similar in that DIY garage door insulation kits come in the form of rolls or panels made with a variety of materials. Which you choose will depend on your budget, the size of the garage door, the ease of installation, and the thermal efficiency you want. Insulation products are generally given an R-value, with higher numbers being better.

It's not difficult to hit that suggested 10-pound limit if, for example, you use solid panels. The question then is how to measure the impact of that additional weight. One tip is to hold the garage door half open. If it stays where it is, the weight is adequately supported. If it closes, it needs to be rebalanced. However, it's not really an accurate way to judge, and if the door is powered, you may be putting unnecessary extra strain on the motor. Adjusting springs for rebalancing might be something you can do yourself, but professionals advise caution. You might also wonder whether the extra weight affects the safety of your garage door. It's not really something you want to take chances with, so if you have any doubts, it's best to call in an expert to check things over.