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Do I need to insulate my garage?

garage insulation

You should only insulate a room if it contributes to the comfort of the inhabitants or to the protection of objects, systems or installations housed there.

If you are only using your garage to store a vehicle, it is not necessary to insulate the space. Vehicles are designed to survive out in the elements and are therefore protected in a non-insulated garage.

However, the need for insulation changes if your heating system is located in the garage, a space has been reserved there for washing, or you use the garage for activities where a certain degree of comfort is required.
In such cases, it is appropriate to insulate your garage, which would thereby incorporate it into the protected volume (i.e. all heated rooms in the housing unit).

Sensible design

When designing your residence, it all comes down to making informed choices. The decisions you make affect the net energy demand of the residence.
If the garage is within the protected volume, the total energy demand will be higher. The exact degree to which energy consumption is affected depends on the surface area, orientation and solar gain.

No other option

You may have no other option but to incorporate the garage into the protected volume. In a terraced or semi-detached house, it may be cheaper to incorporate the garage into the protected volume, for example if it is completely surrounded by a protected volume.

What should I insulate?

If the garage is outside the protected volume:

  • Insulate the inner walls between the garage and residence
  • Install a door between the garage and residence with sufficient insulation

If the garage is inside the protected volume:

  • Insulate the outer walls
  • Depending on the situation, you may also need to insulate the floor and the roof of the garage
  • The garage door is also important to consider. As with other parts of a building, a garage door should meet the maximum U values stipulated in energy regulations.

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