Reduce Garage Heat With An Affordable Dollar Tree Solution

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It's no secret that garages can overheat in the summer due to soaring outside temperatures and being in glaring direct sunlight, depending on your location, of course. In fact, without any air conditioning, these temperatures can rise anywhere from 10 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the outside temperatures. And if you're someone who houses tools or regularly works in your garage, it can make things quite challenging during the summer months. The good news is that you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars on an air conditioner unit for your garage: If you're looking for a cheap and temporary solution that works, just layer your garage door with a few packs of Readi-Board White Foam Boards from Dollar Tree, to help keep the temperature cooler during the hot seasons.

So why do these boards work? They have a polystyrene foam core that is made mostly of air, which acts as a good lightweight insulator. This type of foam material contains a lot of gas internally, which itself is known to be a relatively poor thermal conductor. Essentially, these boards trap the heat in their gas-filled pockets, preventing the convection process and blocking heat from entering your garage. If you're looking for a simple, fast, short-term, and affordable heat-reducing solution, this is one of the best garage hacks that's worth considering. 

You can purchase the foam boards from your local Dollar Tree or buy them on their website. These inexpensive boards come in bundled packs, and you can get a 20-pack of 20x30-inch foam boards for $25. Sure, you can find similar versions of the foam boards on Amazon, but expect to pay almost four times the price for the same number of boards.

For this project, you also need a few rolls of Duck Brand tape, a tape measure, a utility knife, and a step ladder. Note that each of the previously mentioned boards from Dollar Tree will cover 600 square inches of space, or 4.17 square feet. Before starting your project, it's best to measure the square footage of your garage door, and more specifically, the area between the joists where the boards will be placed. To do this, measure the length and width of one of these rectangular spaces, then multiply the measurements by the total number of spaces to determine the total square footage of boards you'll need.

Keep in mind that you want the boards to fit snugly in place, so accurate measurements are important. After procuring your boards, measure and then pre-cut any boards as necessary (using the utility knife) to ensure that you'll be able to cover each space fully. Then, starting at the top left of your garage door, set the appropriate number of foam boards inside one space and tape them along the seam. Follow this process for the rest of the door until it's completely covered. 

Cooling down your garage can be done with methods beyond insulation, of course. For example, decluttering your garage can help reduce trapped heat and bring temperatures down. 

All that said, here are two important notes to close this out: When doing modifications like this to your home, always check your local building codes to verify it's legal in your area. Also consider fire safety, and if you are seeking a long-term solution for permanent implementation, consider using less flammable insulating material.