Insulated garage doors can prevent heat loss and make better use of your garage even when the weather outside is bad.

Garages are one of the least energy-efficient parts of your home. Not considered as a living space, we invest time and money into insulating the rest of the house – windows, doors, walls, floors, and so forth – without a thought to the garage.

Garages often have rooms above or adjacent to them. Many have a door that connects to the house. A cold garage transfers cold air to rooms next to them. A draughty garage door leaks warm air out of the property and allows cool air in.

What is an insulated garage door?

An insulated garage door will typically consist of two “skins” with an insulating material between them.

For example, the Hörmann LPU sectional doors are either 42 mm or 67 mm thick with foam insulation between aluminium or steel skins. Sections have a thermal break and rubber seals on the floor, side and top provide additional wind proofing.

The benefits of an insulated garage door

  • Energy savings – much depends on the style of your property, but you could be losing as much as 25% of your property’s heat through the garage door if the house has an integrated garage;
  • A vestibule effect – an insulated garage acts as a buffer zone between the heated house and the outside elements;
  • More durable, less noise – a double-skinned garage door is inherently stronger and more durable than a single panel one. Also, the rubber seals and foam insulation make them quieter in operation;
  • Protects your garage contents – a car kept in a garage with an insulated door is less likely to be subject to freezing temperatures and it can prolong the life of everything else you store in the garage;
  • Increases the usability of your garage – lots of us use our garages for plenty of other things other than parking the car. If you use a garage as a hobby room you would benefit from an insulated door.

Use the U’s – how to choose an insulated garage door

Insulated garage doors are given a U-rating. This is a measure of insulation. A U-rating takes into account the entire assembly of the door including its frame.

Lower U numbers indicate greater efficiency. The Hörmann LPU 67 Thermal has a U-value of 0.33 W/ (m²·K) which is the best on the market currently. Compare that with 0.70 W/ (m²·K) for a typical up and over steel garage door.