should a garage be totally insulated / sealed?

[tonycarguy]

I recently replaced the garage door and the new one seals a lot better. The garage is warmer now as a result.

The thing is, there are some vents at the base of the garage walls that allow outside air into the garage, which prevents the garage from being even warmer. I have not sealed them off because there are two natural gas appliances there. Do the gas appliances necessitate leaving the vents open and hence the garage will never been fully sealed from the outside air?

 

[tom slick]

yes

 

[Johnny]

Unless you plan on living in the garage, leave it the way it is. Besides, you live in Sunny Calif, how cold does it get. My garage is not insulated and I see many sub zero mornings.

 

[HTSS_TR]

It can get cold few days a year, high tomorrow is only 54F and low overnight is down to 36F in Irvine, Orange County.

 

[labman]

The gas appliances must have combustion air. Unless they have ducts to the outside, leave the vents.

The garage is a dumb place for furnaces and hot water heaters. When I upgraded the furnace, I put the new one in the crawl space. I looked into tankless water heaters thinking I could fit one in the crawl space. Not and meet the clearance specs. I also decided they are way over hyped.

 

[JHZR2]

We have a detached garage. Not heated. I prefer this from the standpoint of getting gasoline fumes and the like out, keeping a more normal odor in there.

With combustion, it is more important. Of course, you can duct air in and exhaust out, but that can be a pain.

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Unless you plan on living in the garage, leave it the way it is. Besides, you live in Sunny Calif, how cold does it get. My garage is not insulated and I see many sub zero mornings.
We Californians get real cold when the temps drop below 65*F.

 

[Pablo]

That's not even cold. Leave the vents open. Sheesh.

18°F and headed for 10°F or so by the feel of it. Just got done in the uninsulated garage.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Steve S
We Californians get real cold when the temps drop below 65*F.
I don't like anything under 80

 

[firemachine69]

Up here, if your garage can be used as a "living quarters", you'll be taxed as such. Hence why so many space heaters exist around here.

 

[mechtech2]

You should have dedicated vents for your appliances, not some incidental/ maybe system of some odd venting!

But in general, garage insulation is one of need. It wholly depends on what you plan to use it for.