Garage Ceiling
Many 2-story colonials with an attached garage have a master bedroom suite, a game room, or some other finished and heated space above the garage. Because it can become quite cold in a garage, particularly if the home owner does not keep the garage doors closed at all times, this type of insulation is not very effective. There are always gaps between the bats and the sides of the walls, and the floor in the room above can feel quite cold and uncomfortable, not to mention the waste of (fossil) energy, and the added cost of heating the space. In Dr. Heet’s opinion, garage ceilings are a prime candidate for improvement, because insulation can easily be added without the need of costly and labor-intensive finish work.
Garage ceilings in newer homes are likely to have fiberglass insulation and wallboard finishing. The existing structure can be left undisturbed if insulation is added on below. The installation of 1-inch foam board1 is a breeze and can easily be completed by one person in a day. The effect on your heating bill will be noticeable and the (hardwood) floor in the bedroom above will not feel quite as cold anymore.
Use simple drywall screws with matching washers to prevent the screws from slipping through the boards. Make sure to seal the gaps between the boards with tape to reduce convection – remember the possible heat transfer through moving air.
1Check with your town’s building department whether the type of foam board you are intending to use conforms with local building codes.
