Among the most effective and easy-to-install insulation choices for your enclosed carport, garage or metal building is foam board. The same stuff that NASA has used to insulate a space shuttle’s external tank, keeping its liquid hydrogen fuel at minus 423ºF and its liquid oxygen tank at near minus 297ºF to prevent ice buildups on the inner fuel tank’s exterior surface, can be used to keep your metal carport toasty in the wintertime and cool during the summer.

While fiberglass insulation works by slowing down the rate of passage of heat into your home during hot summers and out of your enclosed carport, garage or metal building in winter, foam board insulation brings that passage to a halt by completely sealing all cavities and spaces in your structure’s walls. These unsealed voids are the primary source of energy loss, which means more money out of your pocket and into your energy provider’s coffers.

Enclosed car port foam board is a bit more expensive than fiberglass and may require professional installation. But its "R value" (its measure of thermal resistance) can be three times that of fiberglass. The higher a structure’s R value, the better its insulation’s effectiveness. If you plan to spend lots of time in your carport, garage or metal building (for instance, if you plan to use it as a workshop, office or recreational room), the long-term energy cost savings over fiberglass can be significant.

Foam board insulation can be applied to steel carports, enclosed garages or pole building in several ways: as rigid panels attached to your carport, garage or metal building inner walls or as a chemical mixture prayed from aerosol containers or a pressure sprayer (A third method involves foam board in the form of loose beads poured into masonry blocks in more traditional construction). Rigid foam board insulation typically comes 4’x8’ sheets and can be cut to fit your structure’s walls using a craft knife or fine toothed handsaw, then applied to your walls using construction adhesive. Two important notes: 1) Because foam boards absorb water vapor, you must cover the insulation with a moisture or vapor barrier and 2) because foam board is flammable, building codes in virtually all areas require that it be covered with fire resistant paneling or drywall.

Foam board also can be sprayed directly on to your walls via aerosol containers or pressure sprayers. It is recommended that you hire a professional installer for this method, as it can involve complex equipment. And because foam boar seals your enclosed carport, garage or metal building so tight, an air exchange may need to be installed. However, this results in superior indoor air quality because air pollutants such as pollen and dust have no way in. Foam board insulation also can help ward off mold, pest and insects for most enclosed carports.