If you’re thinking about heating your garage this winter you have some research to do first. First check to see if the garage is properly insulated. Just because it’s finished with sheetrock or wood paneling doesn’t mean you’re ready for a new heater. Make a test hole in a few walls and ceiling to see if you have any or enough insulation.
Are your overhead doors insulated? Most older doors are designed to keep the rain out not keep the heat in. Same rule applies for any windows in the garage. Next check the ceiling for insulation. If the garage ceiling isn’t insulated then walls and the overhead doors probably aren’t insulated.
If you live in the north you should have the following insulation valves.
Example. New York State.
Attic = R-49
Wall = R-18 to R-28
Slab Edge = R-8
Before your contact a HVAC contractor think of what type of heating systems you would like. Will you be using natural gas, propane or electric heat? If it’s electric heat do you have any space on your electric breaker for another heater? If you plan ahead your contractor will adjust to your needs. When you ask for a heat load, have your insulation R valves ready.
A heat load is only as good as the information in the heat calculation. If they have to guess the will plan on little to no insulation. The less information you have for your heat load the bigger your heating system will be. The bigger the heater the more it cost.
Not every garage should be heated as is. The insulation is more important than the heater.
Go Green option.
The Overhead Door Company has a green option for you. The “Ecobuilt” series comes with a R-7.31 insulation and is made with 88% min. recycled contents.
Air leaks in your home can cost big bucks. If you have a standard new home 25% heating and cooling is leaking right out the window and roof. Think of your home as boat and the air leaks are water leaks in your hull. Every time you add another window and door you increase the holes in your boat. You can plug the leaks but its always going to have a slow leak.
Places to check for air leaks. Dryer vents are thin a aluminum ducts and leak and have little to no insulation. Doors leak air because they are designed to stop water not air. Windows are a huge savings or huge loss. They can have a low R-factor in the glass panes. The frame around the window have have some fiberglass shoved in the cracks but you should replace it with a foam insulation. This will greatly reduce your air leaks.
Chimneys leak out the flue and around the outside of the blocks, the space around the outside of the block can leak air from the top floor into the cold attic space. Same thing goes to recessed lighting. Bathroom fan vents. Kitchen fan vents out the wall or ceiling, the dampers do a minimal job when it comes to stopping air leaks.
What to do green up your space. Always look for chemically safe products, like spray foams and caulking. Any time you have a hole in the wall or ceiling check to see if its sealed off with a form or caulking. The more air leaks you stop to less energy you burn in keeping your home warm. reducing the fuel consumption is your first goal.
Green Notes: If you make your house to air tight you will have to install an air to air energy recovery ventilator. If you house has to few air leaks know you are reducing your outside air and your oxygen levels in the living spaces. But this is another topic in the near future.
The first thing I did is walk around my basement to see how much or in my case how little insulation I have. None of my hot water pipes for my baseboard heaters are insulated. My Heater & floor joist had little to no insulation on the outside walls. My concrete basement walls and floor had no insulation. The house is over 40 years old so I doubt that the outside walls have any insulation or vapor barriers.
So the second step for me was the MONEY. My and your budget will tell you how my insulation you will be installing. They say that most of your heat goes out the floor joist wall. Spray in foam will help with the air leaks or (infiltration) and water vapor. To save money the foam only expands out one inch for a R-5, then put a R-15 batt insulation behind the foam. R values can be added together for a total of R-20. The Johns Manville R-Value estimator show that in NH R-19 is best for state.
If you have money for more insulation you can do insulate concrete walls you can use Insulation blankets or rigid foam board. Hot water pipes to insulate or not insulate. If you insulate your pipes you save energy on your heat bill. But you will also remove your basements heat source. Many Basements do not have a heater so your exposed hot water pipes become your heater. Your choice on what you want to do.
Green Options- All ways use formaldehyde free insulation (Go to Lowe’s for Johns Manville) fiberglass batt. Or Natural Cotton insulation, for spray foams look for CFC Free, or you can try soy based foams.
Always what your budget and keep your eyes open for greener products.
