Selecting a Garage Door is often a daunting task for most of the people since it involves various colors, size, style, operating system and more. With so many things to decide, people often forget to ask about the R-value of the door. Insulation and the garage door R-value are also vital components to be considered when buying a new garage door for your home or business.

What is R-Value?

R-value refers to a measuring unit of thermal resistance. In simple terms, this value defines heat or cold your door insulation can actually resist. It plays a vital role in making your door more energy-efficient, reducing the impact of cold or hot weather inside your dwelling. The strength of the insulation depends on the two factors that is thickness and material of the door. Some of the most common insulation materials used in the fabrication of the door include:

• cellulose
• fiberglass
• polystyrene
• polyurethane

Polystyrene vs. Polyurethane

The two primary garage door insulation materials are polystyrene and polyurethane. Polyurethane is new in the industry, where polystyrene has been around for a while and quite popular. Polystyrene can be found in a lot of things from crafts to cups and extruded polystyrene foam is used in insulation. While it is considered to be the most inexpensive insulator with water resistance quality, it is no longer an industry favorite as there are other better-performing alternatives available in the market. Polyurethane insulation is also known as spray foam. Although, new to industry, but it still managed to caught the attention quickly due to its high efficiency and ease of use. Garage doors with polyurethane insulation have R-values between R-12 and R-18.

Choosing the Right Garage Door R-Value

What should be the R-value of your door? Well, your local climate and weather conditions. Locations with mild climate can go for lower insulation but still they have at least an R-value of 3. If your location is prone to extreme climatic conditions, then you better choose a door with a stronger R-value – basically, the higher the better.

Ready to Buy a New Garage Door?

Now you know the importance of R-value and how to determine what R-value garage door is ideal for your place, the next questions is: from where you can buy a quality garage door? And who will install it? Portes Garage Doors Repair provides a wide range of quality residential and commercial garage doors across Canada. Garaga, Amarr, Chamberlain are some of the leading door manufactures we deal in. Our professionals will not only help you select the best door for your home but will also install that in the most professional manner. Visit our website and browse through our garage door options and contact us for a free quote.