Replies

1. 
   hawkeye | Aug 21, 2005 02:37am | #1

   Since you stated that you live in the NE I assume you live in a "cold climate."  There are many benefits to insulating your garage but like everything else in building it all costs $$$$.  A couple of items I would like to point out is that you are less likely to have condensation in an insulated garage (especially if you have insulated the floor/slab).  We live in Iowa and I can tell you from experience that a well insulated garage is a wonderful thing in the winter.  Just the heat from your engine will keep your garage warm or above freezing if you are consistant about closing your overhead door closed.

   I refurbished the garage my wife parks in.  It is a small detached garage.  I insulated everyting but the new concrete slab (that has a center drain).  When I first completed this project she came home from the grocery store and thought since it was getting cold out that the ice cream she bought would be OK if left in the car overnight.  Wrong, it melted in the trunk!  Our newest car has a display thermometer in it and I can say I have never seen it read below freezing.  The well insulated garage is simply capturing the engine heat and keeping the garage warm.  The snow and ice under the car melts and drains to the center floor drain and the floor around the car stays dry.

2. 
   constantin | Aug 21, 2005 03:03am | #2

   Insulating it is a nice-to-have IMHO. Sheetrock falls into the same category... Why not have the foam/sheetrock company simply do that part of the space also? Could be a very small upcharge considering how simple the walls/ceilings, etc. usually are in that kind of space.

   The only thing I caution about is the possibility of CO poisoning.... if you have a attached garage, install a CO Experts CO detector in it to alert you to the possibility of CO poisoning via engine exhaust.

1. 
   brownbagg | Aug 21, 2005 04:46am | #3

   why not. its really not that much more money, couple hundred at the most. I live less than a mile from the gulf and my garage is insulated.

1. 
   OldHouseFan | Aug 21, 2005 07:33am | #4

   I agree with that. If you don't insulate it there will certainly come a time when you wish you had.