Home Improvement - Garage Doors

[FHSPSU67]

Since this is the most-trusted site for this type of info, I'm looking at replacing two 9'x7' overhead doors. I'm leaned toward Overhead, but am interested in any recommendations from this board (including the snarky ones). Also interested in advice per insulated door/glass in unheated attached garage.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I can't help with suggestions, but would like to chime in with some additional garage door related questions if you don't mind. Our master bedroom and bath are directly over the garage, and the garage isn't insulated. We did insulate the ceiling of the garage, but the walls and garage doors are un-insulated. It's not rocket science to insulate the walls, but I'm wondering whether I can get away with keeping the garage doors and redoing the weather stripping and attaching rigid insulation to the inside of the garage doors as opposed to replacing the doors with insulated ones?

 

[Pardlion]

Since this is the most-trusted site for this type of info, I'm looking at replacing two 9'x7' overhead doors. I'm leaned toward Overhead, but am interested in any recommendations from this board (including the snarky ones). Also interested in advice per insulated door/glass in unheated attached garage.

I have an old single car garage. I took off the crappy overhead door and installed some carriage doors that I got off of craigslist for $200. They look sharp.

 

[Lion78]

I can't help with suggestions, but would like to chime in with some additional garage door related questions if you don't mind. Our master bedroom and bath are directly over the garage, and the garage isn't insulated. We did insulate the ceiling of the garage, but the walls and garage doors are un-insulated. It's not rocket science to insulate the walls, but I'm wondering whether I can get away with keeping the garage doors and redoing the weather stripping and attaching rigid insulation to the inside of the garage doors as opposed to replacing the doors with insulated ones?

Time to put electric heating in your bathroom floor. We have the same set up and it made a huge difference. Hated walking into a bathroom with ice floors.

 

[ftlpsu]

Funny I just helped my neighbor Sunday do this to his garage--went to HD spent $60 bucks and done in an hour...here is a link...



Also do a Search on YT "DIY Insualted Garage Door"

 

[Obliviax]

Since this is the most-trusted site for this type of info, I'm looking at replacing two 9'x7' overhead doors. I'm leaned toward Overhead, but am interested in any recommendations from this board (including the snarky ones). Also interested in advice per insulated door/glass in unheated attached garage.

you can go cheap or expensive. One of the new innovations in garage door openers is to have the thing side mounted. You can then add storage above the vehicle.

Also, the belt drive (as opposed to chain) is quieter if the garage is under a sleeping area.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

Time to put electric heating in your bathroom floor. We have the same set up and it made a huge difference. Hated walking into a bathroom with ice floors.

Although (if I’m following Ranger Dan’s question) the tile replacement job for the heated floor is likely to cost way more than completing the garage insulation job.

Otherwise, my wife would completely agree with the suggestion. She loved the heated bathroom floor. So did our cat.

Insulated garage doors are often the same thing as what Ranger Dan is starting with plus foam inside and a sealed backing. Sounds like he has a decent idea how he’d do the job. All depends on how much time he has and whether it’s worth the cost savings. I’d foam board or spray the garage walls (a suggestion he didn’t need) and replace the doors. We went with amar doors that looked like carriage doors.

EDIT: ftlpsu’s response is a great one. This sat on my iPhone unsent until just now.

 

[Obliviax]

I can't help with suggestions, but would like to chime in with some additional garage door related questions if you don't mind. Our master bedroom and bath are directly over the garage, and the garage isn't insulated. We did insulate the ceiling of the garage, but the walls and garage doors are un-insulated. It's not rocket science to insulate the walls, but I'm wondering whether I can get away with keeping the garage doors and redoing the weather stripping and attaching rigid insulation to the inside of the garage doors as opposed to replacing the doors with insulated ones?

This is a big problem. I had it in a previous home and will never have anything but a remote spare bedroom above the garage. The room above the garage is always colder, if you live in a cold climate.

The problem is that you typically close your garage door for the last time at around 6 or 7. No matter how you insulate it, in the winter, it will get down into the 30's or low 40's from 7 until 10 at night. No way to keep it much warmer. I tried to remediate this by insulating the doors. The home was new built so insulation was state of the art (actually had geothermal heating) in the walls, ceiling and floors (and windows). I ended up buying a baseboard heater on a separate thermostat that I had programed to run from 9pm to midnight and then again from 6am to 8am. It was expensive to run but kept us warm in Jan, Feb and March. Maybe there is something new and better but that was my experience 20 years ago.

 

[Ranger Dan]

This is a big problem. I had it in a previous home and will never have anything but a remote spare bedroom above the garage. The room above the garage is always colder, if you live in a cold climate.

The problem is that you typically close your garage door for the last time at around 6 or 7. No matter how you insulate it, in the winter, it will get down into the 30's or low 40's from 7 until 10 at night. No way to keep it much warmer. I tried to remediate this by insulating the doors. The home was new built so insulation was state of the art (actually had geothermal heating) in the walls, ceiling and floors (and windows). I ended up buying a baseboard heater on a separate thermostat that I had programed to run from 9pm to midnight and then again from 6am to 8am. It was expensive to run but kept us warm in Jan, Feb and March. Maybe there is something new and better but that was my experience 20 years ago.

I love sleeping in the cold, so that isn't a problem. About one day a year, however, our pipes freeze going through our garage to the master bathroom. I hate sleeping in the heat, which is my biggest issue. We also have just one zone in our HVAC system and we have to keep the downstairs in the low 60's to high 50's in order for it to be bearable to sleep in the bedroom. We have HVAC ducts running through the middle of the garage. Once we insulate it better, maybe we could add on a vent and a return in the garage.

 

[GregInPitt]

I love sleeping in the cold, so that isn't a problem. About one day a year, however, our pipes freeze going through our garage to the master bathroom. I hate sleeping in the heat, which is my biggest issue. We also have just one zone in our HVAC system and we have to keep the downstairs in the low 60's to high 50's in order for it to be bearable to sleep in the bedroom. We have HVAC ducts running through the middle of the garage. Once we insulate it better, maybe we could add on a vent and a return in the garage.

I believe someone told me that having HVAC forced air ducts in a garage is against code, due to the possibility of exhaust fumes entering into the return air duct(s). Something to consider. In our current home, we had a heating duct in the garage but no return air duct when we moved in, but I closed it off. My son's rooms were above the garage, and they are a little colder than the MBR, but the garage ceiling and walls are insulated, and I plan to replace the garage door soon mainly due to wanting a modern looking door that will match what I install on the additional detached garage I am planning. Son's are now out on their own, but I would be sure their vents were wide open, ceiling returns closed and floor returns open, and many of the other HVAC registers cut back during the winter months to more evenly heat those rooms....

 

[PeetzPoolBoy]

I believe someone told me that having HVAC forced air ducts in a garage is against code, due to the possibility of exhaust fumes entering into the return air duct(s).

You are correct. If your house ever has a fire, the first thing the insurance company inspector will look at is to see if you had any garage ceiling penetrations that would have allowed flames/heat to migrate to the primary living area.

Because of the opportunity for garage fires to migrate, it is effectively “against code” to have attic stairs leading to storage above the garage. I’m guessing that a majority of the houses in the USA have “attic storage”.

Don’t you just love Insurance Companies collaborating with Code Councils?