Top tips to improve the energy efficiency of your garage

Poorly insulated garages could be costing homeowners thousands of pounds a year in excess energy bills, experts have warned.

The energy experts at money.co.uk say millions of British homeowners are paying for needless energy due to having a poorly insulated and inefficient garage space.

While many Britons take steps to insulate our homes and reduce our energy bills, integral garages are often forgotten and can become a drain on the efficiency of the whole home.

Poorly insulated garage doors can suck warm air out of the rest of the house and cause cold air to find its way inside the property.

Insulating certain areas and swapping out standard light bulbs are just a few ways to keep the cost of energy bills down and make a house more energy efficient.

Ben Gallizzi, energy expert at money.co.uk said: “The humble British garage is often an underutilised and neglected area within the home.

“However, with a few simple tweaks, you can improve the overall efficiency of your home and in turn keep those energy bills down.”

Seal imperfections

It’s easy for air to escape through the door connecting the garage to the rest of the house. Weatherstripping, a draft excluder, or a rubber stopper will be more than sufficient at stopping heat loss through the door.

Insulate the door

The garage door is often forgotten when it comes to insulation and insulating it will help combat the outside weather from coming indoors. Adding an extra layer of polystyrene insulation will help with temperature regulation. Combined with weatherstripping around the door, this will protect the home against cold weather and help save on your energy bills year-round.

Insulate the roof

Insulating the garage door and the ceiling goes hand in hand and it’s advisable to not only have one but both. Insulating the roof of your garage not only will help protect your personal items but will also help reduce the transmission of heat and cold around the home and regulate the temperature more effectively.

Switch your lightbulbs

Swapping incandescent light bulbs for LEDs will not only illuminate the room more effectively but will also use approximately 30% less energy than their older counterparts.

Upgrade the flooring

Most garages have concrete flooring which takes a long time to heat up and will often remain cool in a dark garage. Concrete can also produce chips and cracks over time and this damage can affect the heating and cooling properties of the garage. Consider using some old carpet or interlocking floor mats to entrap some of the heat.

Improve ventilation

There are numerous ways to create proper airflow in a garage and this is extremely important if a vehicle is stored in this space. Wall vents and windows can all be used to help expel any fumes from the car that may cause possible harm. Roof vents are very effective at allowing the cool air to rise when it gets hot and venting it through the roof- helping to regulate the general temperature in the garage.

Ditch the fridge

If your old kitchen fridge is serving as a drink cooler in the garage or only becomes useful when you’re having a barbecue, consider ditching it. Fridges require more energy than most other white appliances so it can make a big difference if you can live without having two.