If you're thinking about remodeling your garage, you can make it a great, energy efficient space with a few simple steps. Whether your garage is attached or detached, you can create an energy efficient space for a workroom or storage. Take a look at five remodeling tips to make your garage more energy efficient.
- Insulate the Garage Walls - Exterior walls in most garages don't have insulated walls. Usually, there's an exterior material wood siding, sheathing, and particle board that act as the barrier between the garage and outside air. By adding a layer of insulation with the right R-value between the joists, or using a blown-in insulation in the drywall, you can increase energy-efficiency.
- Caulk Between the Garage Wall and Floor - Over time, structures begin to settle. In garages, the joint between the walls and concrete floor swells or shrinks as your house or garage begins to settle, and this creates air flow from outside. By applying a simple bead of silicone, latex or foam sealant between the garage walls and concrete floor, you can prevent loss of warm air in winter and cool air in summer.
- Seal Floor Cracks - Both attached and detached garages typically have poured concrete floors which doesn't provide much insulation to begin with. If the concrete floor develops cracks from normal settling or the weight of your cars, outside air can enter your garage through these cracks. Sealing all floor cracks with a concrete sealant will prevent air flow and provide better energy-efficiency.
- Insulate Your Garage Door - Your garage door creates a lot of opportunity for air flow when it's raised and lowered, but insufficient insulation can also account for outside air entering the garage all year. To properly insulate the door, you can purchase an easy-to-install insulation kit from a home improvement store, or install a new energy-efficient garage door for your home.
- Change Your Garage Lighting - If you have incandescent light bulbs in your garage fixtures, changing them to energy efficient LED or CFL light bulbs will increase energy-efficiency. These types of light bulbs use between 12 and 15 watts of electricity per bulb, as compared to 60 watt incandescent bulbs. The amount of light output (lumens) is the same as a conventional 60-watt light bulb.
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