Garage Door Insulation Installation

[rnbraud]

K, just bought some 3/4" foam insulation from the Depot, along with some of that foil covered bubble wrap to insulate my garage door. It is getting real hot hear in Dallas.

Now, I am stumped on how best to install this stuff. I would like to attach the foil/bubble wrap to the foam then attach that to the garage door with the bubble wrap facing outward towards the garage door.

Now the question is whether to install it "inside" the panels flush against the door, or "inside" the panels but leaving about a 3/4" air space, or installing "onto" the garage door, thereby leaving a 1.75" air space.

Keep in mind the metal garage doors have cavities due to the bending of the edges for reforcement. The cross section of the segments are sorta shaped like a really big "C":

______ | | | | | | | | | | |_____|

It is my understanding the larger the air space between the door and the bubble wrap the better. Can anyone confirm this for me?

Thanks.

[Robert Gammon]

I live in Houston so I understand the problem well.

However, the seal around the garage doors are very leaky, are you certain that insulating the door will provide ANY reduced temp in the garage????????

The temperature of a metal surface door will get very high. Are you certain that the bubble wrap you purchased will not melt under these conditions?

[rnbraud]

Hello Robert,

I am not too concerned about the sealing of the air. I am trying to get the radiated heat of the garage door down. It faces East, so it gets the morning sun directly.

I am pretty sure the foam and the foil bubble wrap will block most of the heat, I just want to make sure I install it so it is the most efficient.

Thanks.

Robert Gamm> > K, just bought some 3/4" foam insulation from the Depot, along with

[Robert Gammon]

the Air gap is the important thing then.

Why not get a sheet of black plastic film witha high enough temp rating that it will not melt at the 200-300F temps of the door (exagerating a bit as I suspect that 300F will NOT be hit) and GLUE it to the legs of the C sections. Black plastic will block IR, and insulating air space will lower leakage to the rest of hte garage.

Mine faces almost due west so you have it a bit easier than I do.

I will be very interested in your results.

[rnbraud]

Well, I already bought the foam boards and the foil, so I think I will give it a try and mount the board onto the legs of the C-section like you suggest. I am pretty sure a 1" or 2" would be optimal.

I will post my results here after the weekend.

Thanks for your responses.

Later

Robert Gamm> > Hello Robert,

[Richard J Kinch]

Eh? You're confusing blackbody radiation with transmission.