In the world of commercial roll up doors, there are plenty of options to suit your business needs. Do you care more about weather resistance, or are you more concerned with robust physical security against intruders? Insulated commercial garage doors can provide protection from the weather, intruders, and more. With the right roll up door solution, you don't have to choose between the features you need most.

You may first be wondering if roll up doors can even be insulated. The answer is yes — the choice only depends on what kind of insulation you select. From there, you can enjoy the advantages of enhanced overall performance and greater peace of mind concerning product storage and security.

We'll look at what an insulated roll up door is, what its benefits are, and which kinds offer the best value for your commercial facility.

What Is the Difference Between Insulated and Non-Insulated Roll up Doors?

The main difference between an insulated and a non-insulated roll up door is the presence or absence of foam insulation. Insulation affects many aspects of a commercial door, such as durability, rigidity, sound transmission, and thermal resistance.

Just as you wouldn’t want to be caught outside in the winter without a coat, you don’t want to leave your roll up door — and your facility — out in the cold without any insulation.

Insulated Roll up Doors

Insulated doors typically consist of either polystyrene or polyurethane foam insulation. Polyurethane is often the preferred material to use for commercial insulated roll up doors because of its enhanced thermal performance. It's also referred to as "foamed in place" insulation and can come in two types — open- or closed-cell. Closed-cell foam is denser, offering a higher insulation level while resisting moisture. Because of its durability and water resistance, it's a popular choice for commercial and industrial applications.

In contrast, open-cell insulation does not perform as well in these areas, and it is also not as strong. Its lightweight quality makes it better suited for smaller applications than commercial garage doors. No business can afford to have their supplies affected by water or mold, which can be a possibility with open-cell insulation. Polystyrene — or laid in place door insulation — shares many of the same properties as polyurethane, though it's not quite as heat resistant.

Think of closed-cell and open-cell insulation like types of winter gear — closed-cell is that fancy waterproof parka that will save you in a blizzard, and open-cell is your typical sweatshirt that is better suited for crisp autumn days.

Choosing an insulated door for your facility means you'll become familiar with terms you wouldn't usually associate with non-insulated models. This includes terms such as U-factor, R-value, and Sound Transmission Classification (STC) rating. We’ve included definitions of these terms and how they affect your door’s operation below:

• R-value: A door's R-value determines its thermal resistance. This is how well it can resist heat flow and stop outdoor air from entering your indoor space. Knowing the insulation's R-value is crucial when deciding on an insulated door, but the U-factor arguably plays a bigger role.
• U-factor: The U-factor tells you how much heat is lost or gained, offering a tested heat transfer value through radiation or conduction. The lower this number is, the better. This value is used to calculate a window's thermal efficiency, but it is also suitable for roll up doors. Both windows and commercial doors consist of multiple components. The U-factor accounts for the entire door assembly's thermal performance rather than just the curtain slats' insulation like R-value does.
• STC rating: This tells you how effective your commercial door is at resisting the passage of airborne sound. High-quality insulation with a high R-value will automatically mean a better STC rating. Look for insulated doors with higher STC ratings to get more highly effective sound-blocking performance.

Non-Insulated Roll up Doors

Non-insulated doors, in contrast, are not as thick as insulated models because of the lack of additional layers. You may be more inclined to choose a non-insulated door if you live in an area with a consistent climate and no extreme fluctuations in weather or temperature. Installing a non-insulated door in harsher environments can be a big risk for the life span of your facility, stored items, and equipment. The door itself may not last long, either, which means you'll spend more money on repairs or replacements.

You also will not typically receive the same sound transmission and thermal protection benefits from a non-insulated model compared to what you'd get from one with insulation. If your building is noisy and you'd like to block out the commotion, this door type won't be the best choice. However, you can get non-insulated doors with weather and fire protection properties by seeking models that specifically offer these features, such as maximum protection doors or fire-rated models.

When considering the pros and cons of insulated roll up doors versus non-insulated ones, you'll see that the former comes out on top. Insulated roll up door costs may be higher than non-insulated models because of the added protection, but these funds will be evened out over time due to the energy savings and minimal maintenance requirements.

Benefits of Installing an Insulated Roll up Door

What is the advantage of an insulated garage door? You'll find many perks to insulating your commercial roll-up doors.

1. Climate Control

If you manage a building like a warehouse, you'll want an insulated roll up door to ensure your stored goods maintain their quality. Extreme hot or cold temperatures can affect merchandise by damaging it directly or making it more susceptible to deterioration. Climate control is also vital for employee safety, especially if your facility's overhead door often stays closed while people work. 

Protecting the entire entryway with a seal is highly recommended for achieving the kind of environmental barrier you need. In particular, Cornell's roll up doors use a patented perimeter seal technology to keep out extreme temperatures and maintain a comfortable indoor environment. This also provides protection against the elements, which can reduce your liabilities when safeguarding your goods against environmental destruction. Even with quality insulation and a high R-value, an insulated garage door won't work at its best unless it also has a great seal.

2. Lower Insurance Premiums

Are you looking for a way to reduce your insurance premiums? Insulating your commercial garage door could help. When you give your door the added protection of insulation, it proves that you care about maintaining high-quality goods and a safe facility. Your insurance provider will see you've taken steps to protect against more pressing issues like severe weather events and extreme temperatures and may provide a discount for your proactive stance.

Receiving discounts on your yearly property insurance premiums means you can direct those funds toward other business areas that need attention, helping you budget more efficiently and spend your money wisely.

3. Energy Efficiency

When your HVAC system doesn't have to work as hard to regulate the building's temperature, your energy bills will ultimately decrease. You'll spend less money each month because the indoor temperature will be more evenly regulated, letting the unit work as intended rather than overexerting itself. 

Non-insulated garage doors and areas of air infiltration within your door could yield similar levels of energy waste, even if you don't continually leave the door open. This can significantly add up throughout an entire year. Plus, an HVAC that has to run at full capacity all the time will likely see more breakdowns and need more repairs.

4. Environmental Consciousness

If sustainability is a defining characteristic of your business, installing roll up garage door insulation can help you uphold that reputation. Increased energy efficiency in your HVAC system means a lower environmental impact, which decreases your carbon footprint and reduces your resource consumption. 

With greenhouse gases being a hot topic around the world, reducing the production of them at your facility may be one of your business goals. An insulated roll up garage door can help you achieve this without the need to completely overhaul your business model or renovate your building.

5. Cost Savings

Insulated roll up garage doors can help you can spend less on energy bills and insurance premiums. You can also downsize your spending related to door repairs and maintenance due to the door's strength and sturdiness. Some roll up doors are low-maintenance outside of daily once-overs for a certain number of operating cycles, with the most common option being 300,000 cycles. You'll get more value from your door for a longer period without any sudden breakdowns, and you can avoid expensive downtime and maintain the flow of operations. 

6. Durability

Commercial roll up doors are inherently durable because of how frequently they are used and what applications they are used for, but adding insulation doubles the resilience. Insulated metal roll up doors have a sturdier curtain than non-insulated varieties because of the added layers of insulation. Combining insulation with strong materials like steel and aluminum ensures a rigid and stable garage door that will last.

7. Noise Reduction

A door's insulation serves as a noise buffer and facilitates quieter operation than a non-insulated roll up door. You can prevent loud noises from escaping your facility and stop disruptive sounds from entering the building — a two-way noise reduction. This can be especially valuable if operations in your building are typically loud or if your facility is located in a noisy area.

The same tight sealing that helps maintain balanced climate control also keeps out unwanted sounds, providing you with multiple benefits in one solution. Cornell's insulated rolling steel doors come with sound-deadening qualities that ensure your operations will continue as normal without facing interruptions or disrupting surrounding businesses.

8. Security

Because insulated garage doors are remarkably durable, they also provide more resistance to break-ins, which can give you more peace of mind concerning your building's security. If you go on vacation and have to leave your property unmanned for a while — or regularly take long breaks during normal operations — you can rest more easily knowing your facility has higher protection. 

Although physical security is crucial for any business, this feature can be especially useful for health-care or manufacturing industries. Health-care businesses can protect their loading docks and storage facilities from theft, which keeps their expensive medical equipment and supplies secure. Warehouse roll up door insulation is a must-have for companies storing highly valuable goods.

9. Increased Space

Roll up doors travel directly upward instead of moving inward like foldout garage doors. The door rolls up into a coil, which is supported by guides that hold the curtain in place while the door is open. This feature frees up ceiling space and enables you to store items closer to the door without worrying about accidents or a lack of space. 

Due to their easy operation, rolling garage doors can also offer a longer life span because they don't encounter as much wear and tear as other commercial garage door models.

10. Flexible Style

Roll up doors can accommodate a wide range of styles and features. You can choose from materials such as aluminum, galvanized steel, and stainless steel to customize a door to your preferred appearance and intended function. If you want to add entrapment protection devices, curved track construction, vinyl graphics, and other creative options custom roll up door, you can. It is easy to create a personalized solution that performs well and looks great.

At Cornell, we offer various finishes and powder coating options for our rolling doors, with powder coatings that come in more than 180 colors. No matter what type of business you own, we can create a customized overhead door that lets your logo and branding shine through.

What Are the Different Ways of Insulating a Roll up Door?

There are several methods for insulating metal roll up doors, most of which involve the materials mentioned earlier — polyurethane and polystyrene. Polyurethane initially exists as a liquid. When it's sprayed into a space, it quickly expands to fill that entire area. The ability to expand as necessary prevents air pockets that would otherwise hinder the material's climate control properties. When plastics like this are used for foam insulation, they often receive a covering made of a low-flammability material to reduce fire risk.

Polystyrene insulation is laid in place, meaning it is pre-cut and inserted into the spaces between the door's slats. It can also be bonded to door panels to create "sandwich" panels. Polystyrene can be enveloped within the center of the door to form an insulating core. Polystyrene is less heat resistant than polyurethane because of the air pockets left behind because the material is pre-shaped. This material is usually more cost-effective because it is commonly used in the garage door industry.

Although polyurethane and polystyrene are common insulating materials, you can also insulate a door using mineral wool insulation. You may want this if your facility is in an area prone to wildfires, as this insulation has excellent resistance to high temperatures. Its dense and rigid batts also make it highly resistant to water and mold growth. It contains an average of 75% post-industrial recycled materials, including blast furnace slag, which is waste matter that forms on molten metal.

Choosing the Best Insulated Door for Your Needs

You know the benefits you can get from adding insulation to your roll up doors, but how do you know what kind of insulated door is best for your needs? This depends on what your facility is used for and what kinds of features you need from your insulated roller garage door. Cornell offers a range of insulated commercial doors for various applications, outlined below.

Thermiser^® Insulated Doors

Thermiser® roll up doors are an excellent fit for the retail, distribution, and industrial industries, among others. They use foamed in place insulation to reduce sound transmission and keep noises from entering or escaping the building. Designed for high-traffic use, this particular door is warrantied for 50,000 cycles and requires little to no maintenance. 

If you're seeking added weather protection, the Thermiser^® can also be configured to withstand a static or operational wind load. This option is a perfect choice for building owners looking for durability, physical security and climate control.

Thermiser Max^® Insulated Doors

Create a tight environmental barrier and enjoy increased energy efficiency with a Thermiser Max^® insulated door. Building owners who want an eco-friendly solution may be inclined to choose this insulated rolling door. It can decrease air infiltration in your facility by 94% compared to other solutions on the market. It can also help you earn up to 38 points in various categories from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. 

The Thermiser^® also reduces sound transmission with an STC rating of up to 30 for the curtain itself and up to 22 for the entire door assembly.

Extreme^® 300 Series High-Performance Doors

Get 300,000 cycles of low-maintenance performance with the Extreme 300^® Series roll up door. A smooth start and stop reduces wear and tear risks, which helps your door last longer and provides more value for your operations. This high-performance door also features our patented Thermiser Max® sealing system for added surety when blocking air leaks and meeting green energy usage goals. This door comes in insulated or non-insulated models.

Another notable feature is the Apex™ Smart Controller, which includes plug-and-play wiring and easily communicates messages about your door's status through its liquid-crystal display (LCD) screen.

Extreme^® 1024 High-Performance Doors

Like the Extreme^® 300 Series door, this model also comes in an insulated version featuring our Thermiser® Max door sealing system. This patented system meets The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE^®) 90.1² standard, along with the 2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC^®). It also adheres to California's Title 24 requirements on air infiltration, with an independently tested value of fewer than 0.3 cfm/ft².

With an opening speed of 24 inches per second and 1 million operational cycles, this door can offer long-lasting value for your facility. This model is best for high-security and high-use applications in government, manufacturing, distribution, and other industries.

Once you have chosen the right door for your desired application, you can have Cornell's professionals install it to ensure safe and efficient operation. We will also perform a test cycle to check for proper calibration and train you on using your new insulated rolling door.

Contact Cornell for Insulated Roll up Doors Today

At Cornell, we do more than just offer products for commercial facilities — we also provide solutions for the challenges you face. We have been the industry leader in security grilles, rolling doors, and closure products since 1828. Our extensive history has given us the knowledge and expertise needed to provide high-quality products and excellent service with every project. All of our doors are custom-made and built to order, so you control what the final product will look like.

Enhanced energy savings, increased security, and comfortable indoor environments are only a few steps away. If you're ready to install an insulated roll up door in your facility, request a free quote today or connect with your local Cornell dealer.