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Insulated garage doors for Colorado winters
If the garage is attached, and especially if there is a bedroom over it, an insulated door is worth it here. For a detached garage you only park in, I'd spend the money elsewhere.
How cold it gets
The Colorado Springs airport averages about 156 nights a year at or below 32 degrees and 3.6 below zero (NOAA, 1996-2025). December and January each average close to 30 freezing nights. A garage door is often the largest uninsulated wall of the house, and an attached garage passes that cold into the rooms next to it.
Average nights per month at or below 32 degrees, Colorado Springs airport
R-value, in plain terms
R-value measures resistance to heat flow. Higher is better. This Old House lists insulated doors in a range of about R-6 to R-18, against R-0 for a single-layer steel door. Manufacturers measure R-value in different ways, so compare doors from the same brand on the same basis.
- Polystyrene panels are foam boards fitted inside the door. They are cheaper and fine for a modest improvement.
- Polyurethane is foamed into the door and bonds to both skins. It insulates more per inch and makes the door stiffer, which helps against dents.
When it pays off
- Attached garage with a bedroom or living space above or beside it.
- You work in the garage in winter, or keep a freezer, water heater or pipes there.
- You are replacing the door anyway after hail damage. The added cost of insulation is small next to the cost of the door.
Insulation alone does little if cold air pours in around the edges. Replace a cracked bottom seal and worn side and top weatherstripping at the same time.
Insulation and the door's weight
An insulated door weighs more than the thin door it replaces, so the springs must be sized for it. A door that is hard to lift by hand after installation, or drifts down when left half open, has springs that don't match. Ask the installer to balance the door and confirm the existing opener can handle it. New door installation.
Common questions
Is an insulated garage door worth it in Colorado Springs?
For an attached garage, yes. The airport averages about 156 freezing nights a year, and an insulated door keeps the garage and the rooms next to it warmer. For a detached garage used only for parking, it matters less.
What R-value garage door should I get?
For an attached garage here, a polyurethane-insulated door in the middle of the range This Old House lists (about R-6 to R-18) is a sensible target. Compare R-values within one brand, since makers test differently.
Does an insulated door resist hail better?
It helps. The foam core backs the outer skin and makes the door stiffer, so it dents less in small hail. Large hail can still dent it.