Being In Touch With Your Garage Door

When the temperature begins to drop, many homeowners find that their utility costs increase. If you have a heated garage, you may be losing a significant amount of heat through your garage door, which could cause your utility costs to skyrocket.

Here are three tips you can use to weatherproof your garage door before winter sets in.

1. Replace bent or broken panels.

The panels on automatic garage doors are designed to fit snugly against one another. Over time, you may find that your garage door becomes bent after being hit by a stray basketball or tapped by the fender of a car. Bent panels create spaces where heated air can escape, and cool air from the outdoors can seep into your garage. If you want to reduce your heating costs this winter, replace any bent or broken garage door panels before the cold weather creeps in.

If you can't afford to invest in a new garage door panel, you can always add an additional strut to the rear of the panel for support. These struts will keep cracks from spreading, and help to prevent the bowing that can lead to costly air transfer during the winter months.

2. Install additional insulation.

Many garage doors do not come insulated. Since the door comes into contact with the cool air outside, having an insulation barrier can be an effective way to prevent your garage space from becoming too cold (which could cause your furnace to work harder to maintain a constant temperature, costing you more money over time). You can easily add insulation to the interior of your garage door for about $200, or you can hire a garage door professional to complete the installation for you.

It's important to be sure that you are selecting the right type of insulation for your environment. Reflective insulation should be used if you live in an area where it's cold in the winter, but the summer months bring high temperatures. Foam board insulation allows you to achieve a high level of insulation value without adding bulk or thickness to your garage door.

3. Install a rubber gasket along the threshold of your garage door.

The area along the bottom of your garage door provides the perfect opportunity for cold air to seep into your garage space. Blocking cold air's access to your garage by installing a rubber gasket along the threshold of your garage door can be beneficial in reducing heating costs during the winter.

All you need to do to complete this project is measure the length of your garage door. Add six inches, and purchase an astragal (or rubber gasket) in a coordinating length from your local hardware store. Follow the manufacturer's directions for installation, and enjoy a warmer garage this winter.

Taking some simple steps like replacing bent panels, adding insulation, or installing a rubber gasket along the bottom of your garage door could be beneficial in reducing your utility costs this winter.