Tips on Making Your Garage Energy Efficient

357

Garages are a great space. They can offer a place to work on your cars, do some DIY projects, play games, and more. Oh, we can’t forget that they also are the perfect place to store your car and all your junk you want out of sight. One downside to having a garage on your house, or a detached garage, is that they are not very energy efficient. A larger portion of your utility bill may be going to your garage. Here are some tips on making your garage energy efficient. Follow this guide, and you can decrease your monthly utility bill.

Install Insulation

Whether it is freezing out or really hot, insulation can help. Insulation is a great product that is probably in use in your house. This construction product that is crucial for many aspects, can help regulate the temperature of your garage. Not only will it keep the warm air in during the colder months, but it will help keep cool air in as well during summer.

Before you start installing insulation in your garage, make sure you don’t already have it. If it is not, start looking at your options. There are many types of insulation out there to choose from. Insulations have different price points, are made of different materials, and have different effectiveness. Most insulation is a fiberglass compound. Alternative types can be spray foam insulation, or made out of other materials like cellulose.

One metric you may see is insulation R-value. This value measures the thermal resistance of your insulation. The higher the R-value, the better insulating power the material has. This means a warmer garage in the winter, and a cooler one in the summer.

If you currently have insulation in your garage, you may want to look at upgrading it. You should also look to see where the insulation is located. Your home builder may not have taken their time insulating your garage properly. Installing, or re-installing insulation is easy enough to do yourself. However, if you need to remove drywall or other types of panels, you may want to hire a professional. Utilizing insulation is one of the tips that can you can use to start making your garage energy efficient.

Cool Off Your Car Before Parking

During the summer months, you may want to let your car cool down before pulling it into your garage. Garages are obviously the perfect place to store your car. They can protect it from dents and dings, as well as protect it from the elements. Excessive rain and moisture can wreak havoc on a vehicle. Plus, if you leave your car outside all day long, the sun can damage the paint, and even cause your dashboard to crack. Keeping your car in excellent condition is a great way to reduce total ownership costs of a car.

Before pulling your car into your garage during the summer, let it cool down. This is a great idea in order to keep your garage cool during these warmer months. If you were on a long drive, and it is really hot out, let your car cool down for at least an hour before you pull it into your garage. You may even want to wait until it gets later in the day, for instance evening, before parking it in your garage. If you have an electric car, possibly because of the great electric car tax credits, you also need to let it cool down. The batteries on electric cars can generate a ton of heat.

Also, if you store lawn maintenance equipment in your garage, like a lawn mower, weed whacker, or ride on tractor, let these cool off before you put them back in your garage as well. Making sure you cool off any type of motorized vehicle before placing in your garage is one thing you can do to start making your garage energy efficient.

The same may not be true for the winter months. You may want to take advantage of the residual heat from your car during the winter. If that is the case, you may want to park your car in your garage right away. While this can increase the temperature of your garage, you should know some drawbacks. First, your car might have snow or mud on it which is never fun to clean up from your garage floor. Also, remember to never have your car started in your garage with the doors closed.

How is your garage ventilation?

One of the most common mistakes people make when insulating their home is forgetting about proper ventilation. A well-insulated home is not necessarily a healthy one. In order for your air to circulate properly, you should always have adequate ventilation. This is especially true if you do tasks that produce byproducts that can be unhealthy to breath in. This includes spray panting, sanding, or working on your car.

Consider installing a new fan in your garage if you haven’t done so already. You can also opt for an exhaust fan that sucks out hot air through the roof or through the sides. 

Always make sure the ventilation works properly before installing insulation panels or other materials that can trap moisture inside your garage. This way, you will avoid mold and mildew growth which can damage your belongings and even cause health problems. Having proper ventilation is one of the great tips for keeping your garage cool in the summer – and it can definitely lead to cost savings over time.

A great way to cool down your garage is to use fans to create cross ventilation. This can get the air moving in your garage and cool it down.

Upgrade Windows and Doors

Another way you can start making your garage energy efficient is upgrading existing windows and doors. While some degree of ventilation is good, unwanted ventilation from low quality windows and doors is not. Bad windows and doors can be the reason you pay so much when it comes to your garage’s portion of your homes utility bill. During the home building process, many people choose cheaper options for their garage. Discount and budget windows are doors are usually installed.

While this can save you money upfront, it may be costing you a ton. Poor sealing windows and doors may be letting cool air out in the summer, or warm air out in the winter.

Window and door placement is also important. Be sure to install windows on opposite sides so you can create cross ventilation. This will help keep your garage cool in the summer. Also, make sure the windows are appropriately sized. There is no point in having a window if it is too small for the air to come through it easily. 

Tips for Making Your Garage More Efficient

Garages are great. Not only do they protect your belongings and vehicles, but can be used for at home projects. With this in mind, there are some downsides to having a garage. More specifically, there are downsides to having an inefficient garage. Depending on your garage, you may be paying way too much money each month keeping it cool in the summer. The same can be said for keeping in warm in the winter. Reducing your utility bill is a great way to better your finances and allow you to spend money on the more fun things in life.

In order to start making your garage energy efficient, take these tips into consideration. Remember to make sure that your garage is properly insulated and that you cool your car off before parking it in your garage in the summer. Also, check how well your garage’s ventilation is, and possibly look into replacing low quality doors and windows.