ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 28

BUILDING SCIENCES
COLUMN
Joseph W. Lstiburek
Dan Tanna*
Garages†
BY JOSEPH W. LSTIBUREK, PH.D., P.ENG., FELLOW ASHRAE
Garages were once easy to deal with. Their function was to store a vehicle. Not
anymore. Garage space is becoming too valuable for just vehicle storage. They are
becoming part of the house and often end up being conditioned. They also often end
up being lived in.
We have learned that garages should be thermally
isolated from the interior occupied space regardless of
whether they are unheated, minimally heated or fully
heated. Folks often turn off heating systems to save
energy. Heated garages obviously should be insulated.
I am going to get into trouble with this next comment.
Unheated garages obviously should be insulated because
over time they become part of the conditioned space-
and wait for it-heated.
Garages are often " tucked in " to houses, typically
with living space/conditioned space above the garages
(Photo 1). The garages need to be effectively thermally
isolated from interior occupied spaces if garages are
intended to be unheated, minimally heated or fully
heated.
Figure 1 illustrates the use of rigid insulation and wood
blocking for air sealing to provide thermal isolation
between the occupied space and the garage. Photo 2
illustrates the use of rigid insulating sheathing on
the wall separating the house from the garage. Note
that the rigid insulation assembly will need to meet
*Tanna is a " high-end Las Vegas detective " from the 1978
television show " Vega$. " He lives in his garage, which is his living
room. He parks his 1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible-red-
inside. My kind of guy-he lives with his car.
†From the French word " garer " -to shelter or protect.
28
ASHRAE JOURNAL ashrae.org A U G UST 2024
PHOTO 1 Garages are often " tucked in " to houses, typically with living space/
conditioned space above the garage.
Does
applicable fire rating requirements. Photo 3 illustrates
the use of OSB blocking that is notched around wood
I-joist floor framing. Photo 4 illustrates the use of
gypsum board blocking with a floor truss assembly.
Note the location of a vertical member within the floor
truss to simplify the installation of the truss gypsum
board air sealing blocking.
Where basement foundations are common, effective
thermal isolation is illustrated in Figure 2. Note that
where insulated walls intersect garage slabs, fiber
cement is often used to provide physical protection
Joseph W. Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.Eng., is a principal of Building Science Corporation in
Westford, Mass. Visit www.buildingscience.com.

http://www.buildingscience.com http://www.ashrae.org

ASHRAE Journal - August 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - August 2024

Contents
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - Intro
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - Cover1
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - Cover2
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 1
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - Contents
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 3
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 4
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 5
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 6
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 7
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 8
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 9
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 10
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 11
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 12
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 13
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 14
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 15
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 16
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 17
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 18
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 19
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 20
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 21
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 22
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 23
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 24
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 25
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 26
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 27
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 28
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 29
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 30
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 31
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 32
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 33
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 34
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 35
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 36
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 37
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 38
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 39
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 40
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 41
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 42
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 43
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ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 45
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 46
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 47
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 48
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 49
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 50
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 51
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ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 53
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 54
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 55
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 56
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 57
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 58
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 59
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 60
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 61
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 62
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 63
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 64
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 65
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 66
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 67
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 68
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 69
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 70
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 71
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - 72
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - Cover3
ASHRAE Journal - August 2024 - Cover4
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