Therefore garage door insulators must have a high r value and also be lightweight.
Polystyrene vs polyurethane which is safer garage doors.
Some insulation types include layers of aluminum on both sides to reflect radiant heat and prevent overheating.
The first level of insulated door core is the polystyrene which is a slab of foam that is placed in the core of the door.
Generally this foam results in a lower r value for the door.
In the case of polyurethane for overhead garage door insulation you can expect r values from approximately r10 up to r17 5.
Certainly the best insulators for garage doors are polyethylene polystyrene polyurethane and fiberglass.
Polyurethane the higher density of polyurethane makes it more expensive but also a better insulator than polystyrene.
The two most common materials used for garage door insulation are polystyrene and polyurethane.
Let s examine the advantages of each.
Polyurethane fills the entire panel and makes the garage door panel feel really solid.
Polystyrene does not fit as tightly as the urethane foam in the end corners of each panel leaving air pockets.
Because polyurethane comes in a denser form it is more expensive.
Polystyrene popular because of it s value and simplicity of installation polystyrene is the less expensive option of the two.
Because polystyrene gets bonded to your garage door it becomes more resistant to wear and tear.
Some manufacturers do not glue their polystyrene to the panels so it does not add to the stiffness of the panels.
While the addition of polystyrene garage door insulation will quiet the door s operation and add some energy efficiency it is not as energy efficient as polyurethane.
The insulation value is much higher than the honeycomb but lower than the polyurethane.
Polystyrene is the higher quality insulation polystyrene is similar to the material in a styrofoam cooler.
With polystyrene you can get an r value from r10 to r17 5.
Today s manufacturer s often use polyurethane in 2 layer construction and polystyrene in 3 layer construction.
An additional advantage is the extra strength polyurethane insulation adds.
Of the two materials polyurethane is the better material.
Bonded directly to your garage door it increases stiffness making it more resistant.
For overhead sectional garage doors the better choice for insulation is polyurethane whenever possible.
However it s also a better insulator than polystyrene.
Hollow metal doorswith this core type are most often used at exterior openings and can be fire rated up to 3 hours.
You ll also get additional strength from this type of insulation.
