Void area above integral garage

rubble2

Our house has an integral garage with a bedroom above (house is about 20 years old). The bedroom over the garage is always noticeably cooler than the rest of the house and my plan is to try and address the problem this year.

I have attached a rough sketch of a cross section of the garage/bedroom area and my initial intention is to increase the insulation between the garage ceiling/bedroom floor - the cross hatch area on the diagram.

What I am wondering is what would I expect to find in the void area shown on the sketch (triangular section under the roof and above the ceiling) should there be insulation in there already? and if there is, would it be of any benefit to try and increase it in some way?

Second question is what would be the easiest/best way to access the void for inspection/increasing the insulation?

Appreciate any assistance.

grumbler

rubble2 said:

What I am wondering is what would I expect to find in the void area shown on the sketch (triangular section under the roof and above the ceiling)

In any sealed space left behind by UK builders you can expect to find pretty much anything: all sorts of rubbish, worn clothes, boots, skeletons - you name it.

should there be insulation in there already?

It should, but this doesn't mean that it really is there.

would it be of any benefit to try and increase it in some way?

Of course it will, but it must not compromise  ventilation through the eves if it's needed.

Robin9

What is the garage ceiling made off ? 

I took the ceiling down -  stuffed the rafters with rolls of insulating material and put the ceiling back with overlapping two sheets of plasterboard to meet fire regs.

When I say  "I"   - I had a man do it .

FreeBear

Quite likely there is next to no insulation in the knee wall and around the rest of the dormer (walls & roof). Might be worth drilling a couple of small holes and poking a small camera in to have a look - Just one example https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114396355739 (available from other retailers & platforms).

rubble2

Robin9 said:

What is the garage ceiling made off ? 

I took the ceiling down -  stuffed the rafters with rolls of insulating material and put the ceiling back with overlapping two sheets of plasterboard to meet fire regs.

When I say  "I"   - I had a man do it .

Garage ceiling looks to be skimmed plasterboard

rubble2

FreeBear said:

Quite likely there is next to no insulation in the knee wall and around the rest of the dormer (walls & roof). Might be worth drilling a couple of small holes and poking a small camera in to have a look - Just one example https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114396355739 (available from other retailers & platforms).

That looks very useful thanks, think I will get hold of one of those - nice non intrusive way to find out what is going on (didn't realise it would be that cheap!

homersimpson246

If the garge is under a habitable room then the skimmed plasterboard is likely to be a fire break due to the risks posed by having a car under the room.  Be careful with whatever you do that you don't compromise this.

adamleucine

Hi,

I have an identical layout to that and was wondering if you had managed to
address the issues? My brother in law (a builder) insulated the under side of my garage ceiling with 100mm PIR but this hasn’t stopped the cold, it has just enabled the room to heat up quicker. 

Cheers!

Albermarle

adamleucine said:

Hi,

I have an identical layout to that and was wondering if you had managed to
address the issues? My brother in law (a builder) insulated the under side of my garage ceiling with 100mm PIR but this hasn’t stopped the cold, it has just enabled the room to heat up quicker. 

Cheers!

You are more likely to get a response if you tag the OP like this . @rubble2

TELLIT01

grumbler said:

Of course it will, .

If the answer was obvious to the OP they wouldn't be asking the question.