How to Choose an Energy-Efficient Garage Door

So when you think of energy efficiency, are garage doors one of the first things to come to mind?

Probably not.

But they do impact your home’s efficiency. If you’ve been considering replacing your garage door anyway, you might as well make it an energy-efficient one.

Why?

Your garage is more than likely uninsulated, which means the air that enters passes right through and into any rooms above or next to your garage.

The intense Texas heat can get hot enough to damage electrical components, which includes the ones in your car. And excessive heat that endures for a long time can also increase the likelihood of your car battery failing.

Anway, it’s more of an energy and cost savings opportunity than it seems at first.

What Should You Look for in an Energy-Efficient Garage Door?

You basically want three things in a garage door to ensure it maximizes your efficiency:

1. At least 3 layers. The thicker the insulation, the more efficiency you gain.
2. U-factor of .35 or less. This number tells you the rate at which the garage door loses heat. The lower the number, the better.
3. R-value of 12 or more. R-value measures the transfer of conducted heat. The higher the number, the lower the rate of heat transfer (and the greater your efficiency).

Garage doors can also be made with a variety of materials, which greatly affect its ability to keep your garage warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Here’s a quick analysis of those:

1. Steel. This metal offers almost no insulation on its own. However, if it has polyurethane insulation along with it, it becomes a good choice.
2. Composite wood. This offers an attractive facade, while also having the ability to be paired with steel and polyurethane insulation. It’s also an effective choice.
3. Aluminum. This metal works, but it’s not as effective as steel or composite wood options that also include polyurethane insulation.
4. Wood. Wood works approximately the same as aluminum and isn’t as efficient as the first two options.

Smart Garage Door Openers Help Too

Do you forget yourgarage door and leave it open from time-to-time? That’s a lot of lost energy!

That’s where smart garage door openers come in.

Just sync its operation to your smartphone, and you simply close your garage door and don’t need to sweat losing the energy savings.