How can I gauge, by myself, if an advertised R-16 garage door is, in fact, that?

You’ve started looking around to buy a new garage door. After some Internet searching, it seems that a garage door with an R-16 thermal resistance value would meet your needs. You are ready to trust this information, but who can say if it truly provides that level of insulation?

First of all, you should know that garage door manufacturers measure the R-value of their doors by taking a reading at the center of a door section. They then measure the thermal conductivity of the section in the same way as is done for a double-paned window. Generally, to obtain an R-16 value, a garage door would need to be about 1 ¾” thick (45 mm) and injected with polyurethane foam.

A simple test will convince you!

Here is how you can measure the effectiveness of an R-16 garage door, by yourself. However, before doing that, let’s put things in perspective.

• Garage attached to the house
  • For the sake of this argument, we will say that your garage is insulated and adjoins your house.
  • Your garage is not heated, or if it is, this won’t change the results of this test very much.
• The garage door
  • The R-16 garage door is insulated with injected polyurethane foam, an insulating material at least twice as effective as polystyrene.
  • This door is fitted with an effective weatherstripping system around the exterior perimeter of the door (double-lip weatherstripping), between the door sections (with thermal breaks) and at the bottom of the door (to remain flexible during cold weather).

Now, we will start measuring. Do this on a morning when your outdoor thermometer gives a reading of below freezing, or even colder. This is a good time for the test.

When you get in your car, turn the key but don’t go as far as starting the engine. Look at the outdoor temperature displayed on the dashboard. Remember that number. Now, start your car, get on the road and drive for 15 minutes or so, and then note the temperature.

Here is an example: In your garage, on a cold winter morning, your dashboard displays 32° F (0° C). Then you drive for a few miles/kilometers. Now your dashboard outdoor reading shows something like -6° F (- 21° C) Simply put, you can say that your R-16 garage door, properly insulated and weathertight, keeps your garage at least 30° F (20° C) warmer than the outdoor temperature. Don’t you agree?

As well, the same test can be run in the summer when outdoor temperatures are their hottest. A well-insulated garage door with very effective weatherstripping will keep your garage nice and cool.

See for yourself and run the test. Your results should convince you.

Where can I buy an R‑16 garage door?

Contact us anytime at 607-687-5126. We are the ones who know garage doors best. We can help you make an enlightened choice by providing you with exact information. We can even send you a quotation by email.

It won’t be a problem for us to visit you at home to explain the whole range of products on the market. As well, we will advise you on the best fit for your situation. Another way to get input is from using our Design Centre or from admiring our image gallery.