insulating a garage

[Topbuilder]

To OPer,
You will not gain enough benifit to the living area to justify the cost of insulating the garage. Start with blowing another layer in the attic. You want 12 to 15". Anything beyond that gives little return. Next, if your system is 12 -15 years old you are running about a 12 seer. the new 16s will drop your power consumption significantly. All slabs, (recent construction) garage or living area will have a vapor barrier. Not to say the garage floor won't sweat when a front blows through...

[Topbuilder]

I was thinking of insulation my garage once and was advised against it. It has to do with moisture in the garage and no air conditioning to remove it. The insulation actually traps moisture. I no longer have that home, but the home I now have had a room installed above the garage and has insulation installed in the floor (ceiling of the garage). The paint is bubbled and some is peeling off the ceiling of the garage. Also some of the joint tape has let loose. I assume the cause is what was described to me when I asked about insulating a garage. I'm no expert, so you might want to check with a reputable insulation contractor.

HMM some of the homes I go into now have insulated doors and are insulated in the attics but nothing aside from that looks different from my garage? so I wonder if I have over looked something minor.

When I build a home with an attached garage it is standard to not insulate the garage or attic areas that are not above conditioned space. I have no problem doing it when requested. Its a cost issue. I have installed insulated garage doors and they do help. If your garage is already sheetrocked, I dont know a fix for that other than tearing out the rock and starting over. It will help to blow the attic above the garage.

[urnoodle]

My home had one prior owner before I bought it. Apparently, the husband was sent to the garage on many occasions because he had cut a window on the only area with wood siding in which he placed a $100 window AC unit. He did a very professional job. He also installed a ceiling fan. As I am the woman of the house, I make the rules so I get all the inside space and my boyfriend gets the garage. He says it is very comfortable in the summer time and is warm enough in the winter time with one of those safe radiator type heaters. I haven't seen much of an impact on the electric bill either. Now the noise level cannot be solved by either one of these solutions.