September 25, 2015

What Every Homeowner Should Know About Garage Roof Insulation

Your garage has the potential to be like a sanctuary, providing you with a place of refuge when you need it. At the same time, however, is usually one of the more uncomfortable places in the entire house. Garages are often rather drafty and cold or hot and muggy, depending on the season. By adding some insulation to the roof of the garage, however, the problem could potentially be solved.

By adding insulation, the garage can effectively block the transfer of heat, and this will help the room stay warm during the winter months, and somewhat cool as the hot summer months hit. Insulation also enables the garage to become more energy‑efficient, which in turn can lower your overall energy costs. While insulation is best left to the professionals to install in most situations, there are a few things to keep in mind if you opt to go at the job yourself.

Proper Preparation

As you begin a project of this scope, it is important to take some time to plan it out in order to gain the eventual results that you desire. If a project involving garage insulation goes wrong, the odds are high that a lack of proper planning is a mitigating factor.

Leave Electrical Boxes Uncovered

A common mistake made by individuals installing garage insulation for the first time is to cover the electrical boxes. It is so common, in fact, that doityourself.com lists it as the most common type of mistake to avoid. If you do have any electrical boxes on the ceiling of your garage, make sure that you get the insulation bats ready before you attach them to the ceiling. You can accomplish this by cutting some holes in them in order to make room for the electrical boxes.

Stay Away from Faced Insulation

Faced insulation is often less expensive and more readily available, which makes it a popular choice for many homeowners. It does, however, create a potential fire hazard, so it is not a wise choice. This is an especially troubling problem if you store any combustible equipment in your garage, so keep that in mind as well. To provide extra protection against fire, consider going with rockwool insulation. This is much better than traditional fiberglass types of insulation.

Leave Space for Air

It has been said that ventilation is a critical factor in homes that are insulated well, and this is so true when considering your garage. As you add insulation to your garage roof, you will want to make certain that you leave a suitable amount of space between the insulation itself and the actual wood that is underneath the roof. It is recommended that you leave between 1.5 to 2 inches of space here. The space will allow for ready air flow, and it will expel any water vapor that might be present in addition to aiding in the prevention of any mold or mildew.

The Addition of a Vapor Retarder

The step of adding a vapor retarder is very important, yet it is often forgotten. Adding such a device to your roof insulation in the garage will effectively prevent any issues with condensation that you might have on the floor, in addition to the space that rests between the roof and the insulation itself.

Do Not Forget the Walls

As you insulate the garage, remember to consider the walls as well. Many people focus only of the roof, but insulating the walls will not only create a high degree of comfort in the garage and make it more energy efficient, but it will also prevent gas fumes and other types of odors from them spreading from the garage into your home.

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