For the longest time, garage doors only served the purpose of protecting the cars inside the garages.
But over time, the function of the garage itself has evolved greatly, which also means that the role of the garage doors has evolved.
Now the garage is a place where people can spend their leisure as well as store various items other than the car.
So, you need a garage door that can ensure the comfort of people staying inside, which gave rise to the insulated vs uninsulated garage door debate.
Insulated garage doors are multilayered, with a layer of insulation either in between the other layers or over them.
These doors are thicker, provide more weather protection, and are more expensive.
On the other hand, uninsulated garage doors have no insulating layers and are cheaper, providing lower weather protection.
Insulated vs Uninsulated Garage Doors
Insulation plays a big part in ensuring the comfort of anyone staying inside a room. This also applies to garage doors, as people nowadays spend a lot of time inside their garages.
To make sure you stay as comfortable in your garage as possible, you need to choose the correct garage door.
This is where the debate of insulated garage door vs uninsulated garage door arises. We have prepared a list of criteria that provides a complete overview of these two kinds of doors.
1. The comfort the doors provide
As we have mentioned earlier, garage doors nowadays have the increased function of providing comfort to the homeowner, or whoever is staying inside the garage.
Since insulated garage doors have insulation layers, they ensure the heat gets inside the garage during summer.
On the other hand, they can also prevent heat from escaping during winter. As a result, the garage remains very comfortable during summer and winter.
On the flip side, uninsulated garage doors have no insulation layers in them.
As a result, heat can freely enter and escape the garage, making it seriously uncomfortable during summer and winter.
2. The energy efficiency of these doors
Since insulated garage doors keep the garage warm during winter and warm during summer, they reduce your need to use your HVAC units.
This reduces your energy consumption and reduces your carbon footprint.
As a result, insulated garage doors increase the energy efficiency of your home, while also being eco-friendly.
Having no insulation layers, uninsulated garage doors make your garage warm during summer and cold during winter.
This causes you to increase the usage of your HVAC units. This increases the energy usage, making them less energy efficient. They are also a less eco-friendly option than insulated garage doors.
3. The strength and durability of the doors
A huge point in the insulated vs uninsulated garage door aurora debate is their strength and durability. Insulated garage doors tend to be thicker, due to having multiple layers.
This makes them able to endure a lot of stress and absorb a lot of pressure. As a result, insulated garage doors become a lot stronger and more durable.
Since uninsulated garage doors are usually made of only one layer, they tend to be more fragile than insulated ones.
They, as a result, are less durable and have a shorter lifespan.
4. Noise absorption of the garage doors
An underrated and underappreciated aspect of garage doors is their ability to absorb and reduce noise coming from outside.
Insulation layers are instrumental in absorbing noise coming from outside, making your stay in the garage more comfortable and enjoyable.
On the other hand, uninsulated garage doors have no layers to absorb noise. This means if you live in a noisy neighborhood, it won’t help you absorb any noise.
This gives the insulated garage doors an edge in the insulated vs uninsulated garage door comparison.
5. Cost of the doors
Insulated garage doors being thicker, have more material in them. They are also made of more high-end materials, which causes them to be quite expensive at first.
But they save a lot of money down the line, which makes up for their high cost.
Uninsulated garage doors, due to having no layers, have a lot fewer materials. As a result, they cost less upfront. So if you are looking for a cheap option, uninsulated garage doors can be a great solution.
Here are the key differences between insulated and uninsulated garage doors at a glance.
Insulated Garage Doors | Uninsulated Garage Doors |
More comfortable | Less Comfortable |
Absorb noise | Don’t absorb much noise |
Energy efficient | Energy Inefficient |
Strong and Durable | Not very durable and strong |
Costly | Cheap |
Final Words
The insulated vs uninsulated garage door debate will go on as long as these two doors exist.
While choosing insulated garage doors might seem a no-brainer, if you have a low budget and live in a moderate climate, you should go for uninsulated garage doors.
