Best Garage Door Insulation Kits: Top Picks for Weatherproofing

Benefits of Garage Door Insulation Kits

• Energy conservation. Energy efficiency is a huge benefit of properly insulating your home. Stopping the drafts in your garage is going to conserve a lot of energy because of how drafty garage doors can be. Plus, having energy-efficient doors ultimately saves you money. 
• Impact resistance. The added layers help make your doors more durable than they would be if you left them bare. You also have the added bonus of being able to replace just one panel if there's a small dent in the door.
• Weatherproofing. While the added insulation helps weatherproof climate-wise, it also helps protect your door from the elements, which can have long-term effects. The padding serves as a protective barrier that can help keep your doors from bending or sagging over the years. 

Types of Garage Door Insulation Kits

Radiant Barrier

Radiant barriers are highly reflective materials (generally made of aluminum) that are used to block the radiant heat energy instead of absorbing it like fiberglass insulation. When it comes to insulating your garage door, reflective garage door insulation will typically feature one or two layers of reflective barrier and an "air space" layer, sometimes made of bubble wrap.

Foam

One of the most common types of insulation is foam. There is spray foam, which you simply spray onto your garage door and allow it to dry. Spray foam insulation isn't the best option for garage doors, but it is the easiest to use and it is also the cheapest option. Rigid foam, or foam core, is an insulation made from styrofoam. This lightweight material has the benefit of being incredibly user-friendly and is used in the best foam garage door insulation kits. 

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is a common material used in home insulation, so it only makes sense that it works just as good for your garage door. This durable construction substance has a very high R-value, which means it works incredibly well as an insulator. The biggest drawback of fiberglass insulation kits is that the material can be messy to use in your home. 

Cellulose

This low thermal material is entirely organic, made from plant fibers like cotton. Although implementation is relatively newer than other materials, many experts believe that cellulose is a better insulator than fiberglass and is much easier to install. The only downside to cellulose is that it is an expensive material, and costs can quickly add up for larger projects. 

Top Brands

Atlas

The incredibly popular Matador Garage Door Insulation Kit is produced by a company called Atlas. Located in Byron Center, Mich., the company has plants all across the United States. The Atlas Molded Products company was first founded in the 1960s and is now one of the largest EPS producers in the world. 

NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) produces numerous different product for home use. Since its inception in 1958, the scientists at NASA have done countless studies and tests, and on occasion, it makes its technology available to the public. The NASA Tech Garage Door Insulation Kit is well-researched and a great product.  

Reach Barrier

Reach Barrier is known for making low-cost and well-manufactured products. The company is a leading researcher of barrier products and energy reducing materials. All of its products are also made in the United States, and its radiant barriers are 100 percent recyclable. Its most popular product is the cost-effective Barrier 3009.

Garage Door Insulation Kit Pricing

• Under $50: Garage door insulation kits start at under $50. These insulations typically look like a metallic roll of wrapping paper or like tin foil. The material is specially designed to deflect radiating heat and keep the inside of your garage hospitable. 
• $50 to $75: Once you start getting into the higher price range for garage door insulation, one of the biggest differences with these products is the materials used. This price range mostly consists of foam core and styrofoam garage door insulation panels.
• Over $75: At the highest price point, you'll find some of the best garage door insulation kits. These can use a combination of garage door insulation types, but the extra cost typically comes with the benefit of easy installation or more substantial coverage. 

Key Features

Outer Layer

The outer layer of your insulation does a lot of the heavy lifting in keeping the outdoor climate away from your garage. Radiant barriers are incredibly effective at keeping the heat and humidity out, and they rely solely on an effective outer layer. Even other types of insulation require a good heat shield for maximum performance. 

Adhesive

The whole point of buying a garage door insulation kit is to be able to DIY. There are numerous ways that insulation can be held up, and this also has a huge impact on your installation process. Clips and tape can be messy or not come with enough supplies while tucking insulation into the door's frame only works with certain types of doors. 

Size

Garage doors come in a range of shapes and sizes. While most insulation kits give you the option of cutting and trimming the panels to size, there's a lot to consider in the work required to get the desired outcome. Radiant barriers are much easier to customize, while thicker panels might be too difficult.

Other Considerations

• Materials: The different materials used in your garage door insulation kit can make a huge difference. Not just in the overall outcome, but also for installation and looks. Some insulation surfaces can be repainted to match your garage while others cannot. The amount of heat reflected and absorbed is entirely based on what materials are used. 
• Cost: The overall cost of your insulation project has a few variables. High-quality insulation materials typically cost the most per square foot. There's also the matter of how much you need and what type of climate you live in, which will determine if cheaper materials will be just as effective. 
• Effectiveness: Not all insulations are made the same. A cabin far north isn't going to need the same protections as a home in the tropics. The same goes for garage door insulation; some doors will need greater barrier protection due to direct sunlight while other homes may fair better with a thick foam insulation panel.

Best Garage Door Insulation Kit Reviews & Recommendations 2020

Tips

• It's important to always put your safety first when taking on large home projects. Using a dust mask, safety glasses, and cut-resistant gloves are essential for cutting insulation. 
• Some garage insulation kits require your doors to have a layer of insulation already installed. It's imperative to read all of the directions and product descriptions before purchasing. 
• If you aren't too sure how to properly install the insulation, consider watching some tutorial videos online. Many customers post a step-by-step instructional video, and the manufacturer may have some as well. 
• Consider the finished look of your garage. Some products can't be repainted and may not have the most aesthetically pleasing look to them. 

FAQs

Q: What is the best type of garage door insulation?

A: There are many different ways that garage door insulation works, so it's hard to pinpoint one material as being better than another. Any garage door insulation kit you buy should maintain a barrier between your home and the outdoors and slow the conductive heat flow. 

Q: What is an R-value?

A: An R-value or R-rating is how the thermal resistance of a material is rated. It judges how the insulation reacts to changes in temperature and takes into account the thickness, density, and moisture accumulation of the materials used. 

Q: How is garage door insulation installed?

A: Depending on what type of insulation you purchase for your garage door, there are a few common ways it can be installed. Each kit will come with the supplies needed to install your insulation. Foam board brands often use adhesive tape and retainer clips. It's often required that you cut pieces so they correctly fit your door's size and shape.

Final Thoughts

For the best DIY installation, customers should look into the Matador Garage Door Insulation Kit.

A less expensive, but no less effective, insulator is the Reach Barrier Garage Door Insulation Kit.