Do you spend a lot of time in your garage? Whether you are always working on your car or doing crafts in your garage, you obviously want the room to be as comfortable as possible. Some homeowners end up warming their garage during the winter using space heaters. These can use a lot of electricity and drive up your bills. This is particularly true if you have thin aluminum or vinyl garage door panels. Some people solve the problem by installing new garage panels with extra insulation. This article looks of various garage door panel materials, and compares their energy efficiency ratings.

Vinyl and Aluminum Panels

As mentioned, vinyl and aluminum are two of the most popular materials when it comes to garage door panels. That being said, they aren't usually the most energy efficient, especially in cold climates. They have a fast rate of heat transfer, meaning it is harder to maintain the right temperature inside your garage during either the winter or summer. On top of that, most homes are built with the most affordable panels, meaning they usually don't have great insulation.

It is very important to realize that there are vinyl and aluminum garage door panels that have extra insulation with in them. Fiberglass is stuffed with the hollow panels for extra efficiency. Most panels with extra insulation will still fit within the same frame.

The only issue is that extra weight of the insulation could be too much for your existing motor to power. Buy panels from the same manufacture as your actual garage door opener company. They will have a clear list of garage door motors that will work with their panels. In conclusion, vinyl and aluminum can both be energy efficient choices, but only if you spend a little extra money on a product that has built in insulation.

Wooden Panels

Wooden panels are another popular choice. Most people choose wood because they love the way it looks on their garages. That being said, wood also has great energy efficiency ratings, and a slow rate of heat transfer. Wooden panels are efficient in both cold and hot temperatures. A wooden garage door panel will need a little more maintenance throughout the years, but as long as you keep the wood up, it will remain efficient.

In the end, you can make your choice according to the style you want and how much you are willing to spend. Contact a company, like Premier Door Corp , for more help.