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Garage Insulation

The garage is an unconditioned space in your house and doesn't need to be thoroughly insulated. However, to keep the rest of your home comfortable and energy efficient, you need to insulate the wall or walls that separate the garage from the rest of the house. This is the case whether the wall or walls will remain unfinished, or if you will be covering them with drywall.

You insulate the walls that separate the garage from the rest of the house as you would any exterior wall, with insulation that includes a vapor retarder. The best choices for this application include ComfortTherm®, MR® Faced, Kraft-Faced, or Unfaced with a separate vapor retarder film placed over the insulation.

Before installing insulation in garage walls, clear the area inside your garage of any obstacles. Remember that JM insulation is compressed and will expand rapidly when the package is open, so you want enough open space to comfortably work in.

Kraft facing must not be left exposed. It must be covered with gypsum board or another approved interior finish. Where an exposed application is required, use FSK-25 flame-resistant faced insulation.

How to Install Insulation in Exterior Walls

Installation Tips

Insulation should be installed in all exterior walls that separate conditioned spaces from unconditioned spaces, including knee walls and basement walls.

1. If you are using faced batts, place the batts into the wall cavity and staple the flanges of the batts to the inside or face of the studs about every 12 inches. Kraft facing must not be left exposed. It must be covered with gypsum board or another approved interior finish. Where an exposed application is required, use FSK-25 flame-resistant faced insulation. If you are using unfaced batts, place the insulation into the cavity, making sure that it is the correct size and fits snugly at the sides and ends and does not protrude in the back.
2. If the insulation is too long, cut it to fit properly. Don't double it over or compress it. Use a sharp utility knife and straightedge. Cut batts on a smooth, flat surface, and cut them about 1" larger than the framing cavity. If the material is too short, cut a piece to size to fill the gap.
3. Fill in any narrow gaps between joists by forcing pieces of unfaced insulation into the gaps with a screwdriver or putty knife.
4. To control air leakage, apply caulk or foam sealants around openings like window and door frames and any openings where wires or pipes go through the exterior wall.

To apply a vapor retarder:

1. To apply the poly film, start at the top plate in one corner of the room.
2. Pull the film tight and staple at least every 12 inches.
3. Drive staples at the center of every stud and around openings, working around the room.
4. Overlap the sheets by one complete cavity to minimize leakage. Then staple evenly through, fastening both sheets to the studs at one- to two-foot intervals.
5. Pull the film tight along the sole plate and staple in the same manner, making sure the staples are driven flat, flush to the stud surface.
6. Trim out the poly from over windows, doors and electrical boxes.

NOTE: In areas of the country where vapor retarders are not required, bathrooms would require unfaced insulation and no poly film covering to allow moisture to escape.

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How to Install Garage Insulation in Knee Walls

Installation Tips

1. If you are using faced batts, place the batts into the wall cavity and staple the flanges of the batts to the inside or face of the studs about every 12". If you are using unfaced batts, place the insulation into the cavity, making sure that it is the correct size and fits snugly at the sides and ends and does not protrude in the back.
2. If the insulation is too long, cut it to fit properly. Don't double it over or compress it. Use a sharp utility knife and straightedge. Cut batts on a smooth, flat surface, and cut them about 1" larger than the framing cavity.
   If the material is too short, cut a piece to size to fill the gap.
3. Fill in any narrow gaps between joists by forcing pieces of unfaced insulation into the gaps with a screwdriver or putty knife.
4. To control air leakage, apply caulk or foam sealants around openings like window and door frames and any openings where wires or pipes go through the exterior wall.

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