How to deal with cold bedroom above garage

thevilla

Our 1989 build is similar. Last year I discovered the roof over the single story area of utility and kitchen  was totally uninsulated.  I had to cut access to get to it.  The loft space left the RSJ supporting the bedroom wall open to the outside airflow which then allowed cold air to circulate under the floor of the bedroom over the garage.  I piled loft insulation against the RSJ which has helped but I could probably have done more.

Exiled_Tyke

On the importance of prioritising insulation over heating..... 

We have a large kitchen (approx 24 sq metres) with cavity wall insulation. As part of a project to replace the kitchen we insulated under the floor and added another 50mm of all insulation all round the walls.   We now need half the heating capability for the room than previously and have downgraded the radiators accordingly. (We needed to replace them as the design of the room has changed and the old ones wouldn't fit).   

paul991

have  you thought about hiring a  thermal camera to find where  your  losing your  heat

EricMears

paul991 said:

have  you thought about hiring a  thermal camera to find where  your  losing your  heat

If you're an Octopus customer,  they have a scheme to loan you such a camera.  Not sure if other electricity providers have a similar scheme but always worth asking.

ABrass

Regarding the floor, the garage is going to be no worse than a suspended floor void. Which means the room will lose heat to it, but it is the least important surface to insulate just like every other insulation scenario.

Another vote for a bigger radiator.

Cardew

I converted a detached 2 storey Victorian stable which serves as an annex to my house.

The interior walls were all dry lined(battens, plasterboard and kingspan insulation)-  roof isulated etc. Suspecting that heating might be a problem more radiators were installed than the area would normally be required.

With the modern gas CH it is easy to raise the temperature in the upstairs bedroom to above 25C even on the coldest day. However with the heating off the temperature still drops rapidly and on cold nights it is necessary to keep the CH on at a low setting all night.

So IMO unless you can increase the insulation substantially extra radiators might not be the solution. It might be cost effective to bite the bullet and have an oil filled radiator for those periods when the room is too cold. Or investigate having that room on a separate zone of your CH system.

Magnitio

EricMears said:

paul991 said:

have  you thought about hiring a  thermal camera to find where  your  losing your  heat

If you're an Octopus customer,  they have a scheme to loan you such a camera.  Not sure if other electricity providers have a similar scheme but always worth asking.

This year, they only loaning the cameras to people suffering financial hardship. See:

octopus.energy/blog/flir-thermal-cameras/