• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

SHOWROOM (905) 532-9770

Facebook
  • Catalogue
  • Portfolio
  • Openers
  • Service & Repair
  • About Us
  • Testimonials
  • Contact Us

How can I make my garage door more energy efficient for installation?

Free Estimate

How can I make my garage door more energy efficient for installation?

[thrive_2step id='3667']Request Free Estimate[/thrive_2step]
Home » How can I make my garage door more energy efficient for installation?

October 22, 2019 By OMedia

With rising costs of living, the Toronto homeowner needs every dollar he can get. Reducing your utility bill is one of the easiest ways for you to save a bit of money every month. However, one of the places of the home you may be neglecting when reducing your energy consumption is your garage. This is a pretty big oversight, as your garage can be a big energy hog for a number of reasons. In this article, we’ll explain how your garage can rack up your utilities, as well as some tips that can help you make your garage more energy efficient.

fiber glass garage door by smart doors

Why do You need an Energy Efficient Garage Door?

The biggest factor for a garage’s energy consumption is how weatherproof it is. How efficient is it at keeping outdoor conditions from seeping into your home? When you’re inside the garage on a cold day, do you feel drafts coming in from every which way? Does your garage get too hot during the summer? If your answer either of these questions is yes, that means your garage isn’t properly weatherproofed.

An improperly weatherproofed garage can cause your utility bill to be more expensive than it should be. That’s because your air conditioner or heater needs to do extra work to keep your home at an even temperature. The heat or cold can seep into your home through your garage door if it’s not weatherproofed; and it can be even worse for your bill if your garage is part of the centralized heating/air conditioning system of your home.

But why should you think about making a more energy efficient garage?

Besides the obvious savings on your utility bill, here are the biggest reasons why:
1. A lot of your time is spent in the garage. You spend some time in the morning and some time at night in your garage just as part of your daily routine. You also spend time in there when you’re planning to do yard work. If you’re a DIY type of homeowner, you’ll be spending even more time there.
2. Your car is temperature sensitive. In the winter, you’ll want your car to be as warm as possible so that it can properly start. Cold weather can also cause damage to your car in the long run. The same thing applies to hot weather on your car as well.
3. Your other equipment is also important. Besides your car; your mower, weed whacker, power tools and other equipment you store in the garage are also susceptible to the cold and heat. These need to be properly kept as well to keep them from breaking down.

Insulating Garage Doors for Energy Efficiency

insulated energy efficient garage doors

The main way you can make your garage weatherproof is by insulating it properly. This means installing insulation on your current garage door.

If you’re planning on doing the insulation yourself, there are a number of home installation kits in the market that you can purchase to do yourself. Alternatively, you can ask your garage door installation company to assist you instead.

Insulation comes in different material types: foam insulation both sprayed and in sheets, fiberglass, and cellulose to name a few. One of the ways you can check how well the insulating ability of your material is to check its R-value. The higher the R-value, the better it is as an insulator.

Of course, higher R-value insulation is more expensive but it’s important to find the best value for your budget when purchasing a garage door insulation kit. Aside from this, there’s also the matter of finding the proper dimensions for you insulation. Some kits allow you to resize insulation pieces, while others are more difficult to customize.

Alternatively, you can invest in a new garage door instead. Most garage doors on offer in the market these days already come in with insulation pre-installed, saving you the hassle of buying a kit and installing one yourself. This is the perfect choice especially if your garage door is getting on in years and you’re planning to have it replaced anyways. Make sure you call your professional garage door service company to perform your installation safely.

The Right Material for Your Energy Efficient Garage Doors

If you’re planning on replacing your garage door instead, the type of material you use will determine how much insulation you may need. Different materials will have different natural insulation abilities. A few common materials used for garage doors are:

For steel garage doors, it’s important to remember that the higher the gauge, the thinner the steel. The thinner your material, the lighter it is. But that also means that it’s a less effective insulator (and steel isn’t a particularly good insulator in the first place). Weight is also a factor to consider with steel garage doors. Heavy doors will require more power to lift and will cost you more in your energy costs.

Aluminum is a lightweight option that gives a nice sleek modern look. However, it’s a bad insulator so you may need to provide that yourself as well. Wood is a high end choice that provides a very nice aesthetic to your garage door. However, just like aluminum it’s also a poor insulator. These two choices prioritize looks for less energy efficient garage doors.

There are weatherproof choices for these materials however. Multi layer steel garage doors have sheets of high gauge steel between layers of insulation to provide better protection from outside temperatures but the weight problem still remains.

Maybe the most energy efficient material for your garage door however is fiberglass. There’s a lot of advantages to choosing fiberglass. It provides excellent insulation and is lightweight. It’s general low maintenance needs also make it a better choice than most. Depending on the supplier, the prices can be competitive with other materials to just slightly higher. So if you can afford the extra cash, it’s definitely a good choice.

Maintain Your Garage Door

Maintaining you energy efficient garage door you already have is just as important as investing in your new one. Make sure you periodically check your garage door for leaks and broken insulation. Replace these as soon as possible.

Weatherstripping should be inspected yearly for damage and deterioration. These are cheap to replace and can be a quick fix that will keep your garage protected from the elements as well. Also important is that you keep the moving parts of your garage door well lubricated, especially in the winter months. Misaligned or rusty rollers or tracks can affect the smoothness of your garage door opener’s operation and make it use more energy to pull your garage door up.

Insulate your entire garage as well

Your garage door occupies just one side of your garage. Cold air can also seep through your walls as well. So it’s a good idea to make sure that these are properly insulated as well. You can use the same type of insulation as you would in your garage door or your home. Making sure your check your roof as well. Insulating your garage roof is an especially good idea if you have a room above your garage. Cold air might seep through your upstairs floor if you don’t.

Check your windows for air leaks

If your garage has any windows, make sure you check them for drafts as well. Make sure you repair these air leaks so your work on the rest of the garage isn’t wasted. You can also choose to weatherstrip the edges of your windows and doors to provide extra insulation as well.

Seal floor cracks

Lastly, your concrete floor shouldn’t have any cracks. Cracks can allow cold air from the ground to seep up into your garage as well. Take the time before winter comes to repave your garage floor if your need to, or look for weatherproof garage flooring options.

If you’re looking for a new choice for your energy efficient garage door, call the team of Smart Doors Toronto at 905-532-9770 for advice and a free estimate on your garage door installation.

Filed Under: blog, garage doors service, Smart Doors Services

Primary Sidebar

Can't say enough good things about my experience with Smart doors. From start to finish service and professionalism is second to none! Door garage installation quality are amazing. The prize are very reasonable and I’m definitely would recommen(...)

Read More...
Ferdinand G, MT Dennis
Amazing garage door installation quality
 

The best garage door company. Price is very reasonable and quality is the best in that price. And there service was also very smooth and nice. Please find Mike someone who is owner. He is very nice guy.

Read More...
Sangheon Ahn, Woodbridge
Smooth and Nice Service
 

We recently installed 4 oversized barn garage doors and openers. They looked beautiful, we were very happy. Michael Rapport was both honest and professional. His pricing is very competitive. His work is impeccable. His staff is polite , ti(...)

Read More...
Elizabeth, Woodbridge
4 Oversized Garage Doors & Openers
 

Just back off with my car, tried to close the garage door. One of the cables broke as well the door. In less then an hour Michael came, check the situation and gave three option to choose from. I chose to buy a new garage door. Michael advised m(...)

Read More...
Ariel, Thornhill
Garage Door
 

Excellent work and professional. Would highly recommend and use their services in the future.

Read More...
Amin A, Keele
Excellent and professional work .
 

Smart Doors did an excellent work in the replacement of our garage doors. On top of that, Michael was so patient with the important delay that our renovation project encountered and he pleasant to work with (great sense of humour). We recommend (...)

Read More...
Suzanne, Toronto
Replacement of our garage doors
 

Michael did an amazing job replacing our three garage doors efficiently. He is extremely accommodating and professional and his services were most appreciated. I would recommended his services to anyone that is thinking about replacing or servic(...)

Read More...
Phil, Richmond Hill
Replacing 3 Garage Doors
 

Wow amazing
My garage door spring broke last week on a day that was -30 . Mike sent one of his technicians out right away to replace it.
Not only did his tech come during a snow storm but he was on time, quick and never complained once about (...)

Read More...
Frances T, DownsView
Amazing work and very punctual
 

What we appreciated most about working with Smart Doors was their ability to cut through the predictable politics of a project, keep everyone happy, and deliver the expected results and then some.

Read More...
Jerry, Vaughan
Replacement Garage Doors
 

Couldn't be happier. Quick response, fair pricing, very accommodating and friendly respectful technicians onsite. We needed a quote and product installed within 3 weeks. Michael and his team made it happen. First class service. Thank you!  Read More

Read More...
Jorge , Etobicoke
Great Experience
 

I have been dealing with Smart Doors for years, for different projects, either for my own house or for clients. They are very professional, always have new models of Garage Doors. Their Service is the best and care about their clients. I highly (...)

Read More...
Arash V, Kipling
New Models of Garage Doors
 

Thank you guys for the hard work you put into our little project. We are very happy with the door and more so happy with the service you provide.

Read More...
Rishi J, Markham
Great effort and dedication
 

We have a tough project and I got referred to Michael at smart doors, they are very friendly and the service quality is very good. Our garage has very low ceiling makes it so difficult to install the normal garage door opener, I searched a produ(...)

Read More...
Serena He, Scarborough
Custom design garage doors with great quality
 

Michael replaced garage doors for 3 of our neighbours. He did a great job so we hired him. He and his helper arrived as booked, were neat, efficient and did everything as promised. We are very happy. Read More

Read More...
Karen F, Thornhill
Garage Doors Replaced Plus Aluminum Trim Around Them
 

Got a new garage door installed for my townhouse, needed one that would match my front door. Mike and his staff were very pleasant and accommodating to my needs. Answered all the questions, in spite that i called 3 times. I had been searching fo(...)

Read More...
Fernanda, Toronto
Great Price, Very Accomodating Staff!
 

A very high level of customer service the only garage company that actually showed up and explained to me in detail what I was purchasing. They were not pushy and didn't try to sell me anything I didn't need. I contacted two other additional com(...)

Read More...
Sharon, Newmarket
Installing Garage Doors
 

We replaced our garage doors last month - Octobet 2016. I was extremely happy with the quality and service from Michael and his team at Smart Doors. The job that was done exceeded my (very high) expectations. Michael was a a pleasure to de(...)

Read More...
Claire, Scarborough
Garage Door Replacement
 

Work started and completed on time as promised when we negotiated contract. Workers did not leave until everything was working properly and to our satisfaction. Left property neat and clean. Would highly recommend Smart Doors. Read More

Read More...
Joe F, North York
Garage Doors
 

Great, friendly service, quality work and very competitive prices.

Read More...
Rosalina L, Kitchener
 

I have been looking for a garage door installer for a few weeks. I was very impressed when I met Mike from Smart Doors Inc. Mike is very professional and knowledgeable. Being in the home renovation business myself, customer service and quality w(...)

Read More...
Mohamad, Richmond Hill
Customer service and quality workmanship
 

Excellent service and assistance . On time and as promised. Michael was very flexible in scheduling to fit in the installation during a large constructing project. Great job!

Read More...
Kevin ONeil, Jane
Excellent service and assistance
 

We found Smart Garage Doors through HomeStars and with their top ratings we decided to give them a call - Michael responded and came over to our house right away to give us a competitive quote. Overall, we had a pleasant experience with Michael.(...)

Read More...
Cathy, Richmond Hill
Good product with competitive pricing
 

SmartDoors is the company for your new door. Look no further. We did our homework & Glad we chose SmartDoors. Michael Rapaport who installed our door is a caring & Pro in his field with an A+ After sales & Customer service. Strongly recommend it(...)

Read More...
Nathan, Toronto
Door Instalation & After Sales Customer Service (An A+)
 

Great garage door! I saw the Smart Doors sign on the lawn in the neighborhood and contacted them as my door needed to be replaced. Michael responded quickly and we setup a meeting at a convenient time for me. Michael explained my options as well(...)

Read More...
Igor, Thornhill
Garage door and opener
 

We couldn't be happier with our two, full view, black garage doors. They look amazing and work just as well. The process of working with Smart Doors was very smooth from quotation to installation. A written quote was provided with all details an(...)

Read More...
Roni, Toronto
Garage Doors
 

Great job , love my garage doors.

Read More...
Shay ben, Pine Grove
 

They showed up on the coldest day of the year to fix my garage door within hours of me calling. Fantastic service. Highly recommend for all your needs

Read More...
Brooke S, Maple
Fantastic service
 

I would like to endorse Michael at smart doors. I am a guy that does his "homework". I don't make a decision without three quotes. Michael won the bid on all counts. He advised us on color and style; he was professional and his quote was very co(...)

Read More...
Lenny, Vaughan
Garage Doors
 

Smart doors is without a doubt your best bet for any garage doors related enquiry. if you're looking to buy a door, fix/repair a garage door and install one you can't find better run company than theirs.
When you call around and speak to other (...)

Read More...
Issac O, Thornhill
Fix/Repair a garage door
 

Mike is a very nice , friendly and honest man , he gave us a very good and reasonable price for a very beautiful and modern garage doors . They came to our house exactly the time that he promised us , very professional, and an excellent, clean j(...)

Read More...
Romin, Thornhill
Beautiful and modern garage doors
 

I would highly recommend Smart doors. They were very knowledgeable and reliable. Product and installation are top notch. My garage looks great!

Read More...
Ruchi T, Vaughan
Top Notch Product and installation.
 

After checking a few Garage door brands, I knew C.H.I is the one I want. After checking manufacturer site, I got several dealers' info , including Smart Doors, from the site. called each one and got a few quotes from different dealers. I found M(...)

Read More...
Afshin, Richmond Hill
Garage Door Replacement
 

Mike at Smart Doors educated us, gave a quote, wrote a one page contract for product, installation, disposal of old door. His crew did a timely and excellent job. Highly recommended. Read More

Read More...
William, Toronto
Garage Door
 

We needed to replace our 30+ year old garage door. After our initial call , Michael called us back and arranged an appointment within 1 day. He arrived promptly and provided us with our choices. He showed a gallery of his work and told us (...)

Read More...
Mark G, Toronto
Replace Garage Door
 

The doors we ordered were spectacular and the installers were here on time, the doors work perfectly, they were efficient with their time and we are very glad to have chosen them to install our garage doors. Read More

Read More...
Thomas, Vaughan
Garage Doors
 

Replaced at builder garage doors with insulated foam injected R16. Michael and his install crew were very quick and professional on time to turn around my order and even worked in the cold weather to complete the job. The capping and seals match(...)

Read More...
Jacob, Vaughan
Replaced Garage Doors
 

Enjoyed the experience of installing 2 new garage doors with this company. Right from the beginning they answered all questions and was willing to work with my budget. They provided good advice on selection of garage doors etc. The installation (...)

Read More...
John, Bolton
Double Garage Doors Installation
 

Michael, thank you and your team for an incredible work on our new garage door. Your installer arrived on time, was friendly and very professional. The door was amazing, workplace was clean and the price was excellent as well when comparing to o(...)

Read More...
Maor Daniel, Vaughan
 

Enjoyed the experience of installing 2 new garage doors with this company. Right from the beginning they answered all questions and was willing to work with my budget. They provided good advice on selection of garage doors etc. The installation (...)

Read More...
John, Bolton
New Garage Doors
 

Smart Doors Inc. installed New Insulated Long Panel Carriage Garage Door and Opener with Wifi Keypad early February 2017 and we were very happy. Our garage door looked beautiful!!! The White Aluminum Capping they installed around the frame was a(...)

Read More...
Ava, Scarborough
New Insulated Garage Door And Opener Installation
 

LOVE my new garage door. Was referred by a family friend. Michael was quick to respond and knowledgeable in answering my questions. I had called around and the price was by far the most competitive. The door and opener was installed with no prob(...)

Read More...
Shih, Vaughan
New Garage Door
 

Great service, quick and professional.
It was -20 outside and my garage door didn’t close. 30 min after calling Miki, the technician was at my door. The technician was very professional and the price was reasonable.
Amazing service. I’ll reco(...)

Read More...
Igor B, York region
Great service, quick and professional.
 

If you are in the market for a garage door replacement or a new garage door, save your time and money and call these guys. They are honest, fast and do a great job. the price is within the other people I called but the other guys had no experien(...)

Read More...
Joseph T, Sherwood
Garage Door Replacement or a New Garage Door
 

Professional, polite and respectful. A perfect job with no mess left behind. I would recommend them for any project 100 times over!!! My new garage doors are amazing and look beautiful. Thank you!!! Read More

Read More...
Felix, North York
Garage Doors
 

We were so impressed by the wonderful job that your crew did!
On time, on budget, works beautifully! We are 100% satisfied we would definitely recommend them to our friends and family! Great job! Read More

Read More...
Liam, Toronto
Garage Door & Opener
 

What we appreciated most about working with Smart Doors was their ability to cut through the predictable politics of a project, keep everyone happy, and deliver the expected results and then some.

Read More...
Sarah, Richmond Hill
Happy with Service
 

SEE WHY WE’RE TORONTO’S #1 GARAGE DOORS COMPANY

Facebook

ADDRESS: 40 Viceroy Rd. Unit 8
Concord, ON, L4K2L8
PHONE: 905-532-9770
Hours of operation
MON-FRI: 9:30 AM -6:00 PM
SAT: By appointment only
SUN: Closed
Showroom Visiting Hours by appointment only

Toronto
Aurora
Thornhill
Vaughan
Maple
Markham
Richmond hill

GARAGE DOORS

Cedar Overlay Carriage Doors

Fiberglass Overlay Carriage Doors
Foam Injected Garage Door
Premium Garage Doors

RESOURCES

Guide for Buying New Garage Door

RECENT POSTS

Garage Door Safety: 3 New
Technologies

Tips for Preparing Your Garage Door
for Winter

How can I make my garage door
more energy efficient for installation?