If your garage heats up to unbearable levels in summer, then you will want to take action now to keep it cooler when the mercury rises. Below is how you can use an easy and low-cost approach—insulation—to make your garage much more comfortable and livable during the hottest months of the year. Keep reading to learn more:

What you will need

• Expanded polystyrene foam board sheets with reflective foil insulation—Purchase 4-foot by 8-foot sheets in ½-inch thicknesses. To determine how many sheets you need, multiply the width of your garage door times its height, then divide the total by 32. For example, for a garage door measuring 8 feet tall and 10 feet wide, you will need to divide 80 by 32; this equals 2.5 sheets needed.

• A metal straightedge—An aluminum yardstick works well for this project.

• A utility knife—Be sure to install a new, sharp blade for best cutting results and to avoid tearing the foam.

• Measuring tape

• A magic marker

Step-by-step procedure

1. Measure the garage door panels—The typical garage door is constructed of several sheet metal panels that are joined by hinges. Using a tape measure, find the height and width of the individual panels that compose the door. It is important to measure the height and width of each panel, since it is not uncommon to find different panel sizes on the same door.

Once you have finished conducting your measurements, add 1 inch to each height measurement, but leave the width measurements as they are. For instance, if you measure the height and width of a panel as being 18 inches by 60 inches, then record the measurement as 19 inches by 60 inches. It is helpful to number each panel on the inside of the garage door with a magic marker.

2. Cut the foam board into sections—After you have measured the garage door panels and made the necessary height adjustments, then measure and cut the foam sheets to size. Mark the dimensions and cutting lines on the foam board with a magic marker. Use a sharp utility knife along with a metal straightedge to make clean, straight cuts in the sheets and avoid any snags or tearing. As you cut out each section of foam board, mark the foam with its matching panel's number as determined in step 1; this will ensure you place the right foam sheets in the right places.

3. Install the foam sheets—Once you have cut all the foam board pieces to size, it is time to install them on the panels. Try to wait until a mild day with warm temperatures before fitting, since low temperatures can make the foam sheets more brittle and rigid.

Begin to match numbers of both sheets and panels to help make the process faster and less confusing. Choose any of the panels to begin.

After you have chosen a panel, grasp the foam sheet along the longest sides with each hand. Next, carefully begin to apply pressure to each side of the foam board and push inward to create a "bowed" appearance in the surface of the foam. Position the foam board just in front of the empty panel so the foil liner faces inward. Once it is positioned as desired, quickly snap the foam board into the vacant space. The extra inch you added earlier will cause the foam boards to bulge slightly outward, and this will also create an air pocket inside the space between the foil sheet and metal panel. The foil barrier works on the foam board to "reflect" heat back toward the exterior of the home; without an air gap, the heat would merely conduct from the outside to the inside through solid materials. Continue installing each foam board section until all the spaces are filled.

For further insulating ideas for your garage door or for any other related questions, contact a representative from a company like America's Garage Doors LLC.