Bedroom floor is cold

[Beer Belly]

having the garage underneath is the problem. The garage is insulated, and we usually put down throw rugs for the Winter. The Wife wants to screw 1 inch Foam Boards to the ceiling of the garage.....I don't think this is code, and she doesn't care......we do not want to carpet the bedroom, we love the wood floors.....any suggestions ???

 

[The Maine Stove Guy]

You might consider a Rinnai heater in the space. I'm not sure it will completely accomplish warm floors but it does throw the heat out low just above the floor. The right answer is probably insulating under the floor better.

 

[DanCorcoran]

I fastened foam insulation boards beneath the floor of my cabin, but they're in the open crawl space, not indoors. I don't know if there's a code issue indoors. They do seem to keep the floors warmer.

 

[RSNovi]

I am planning to install electric floor heating in the room above my garage. It sounds like you already have the floor down though.

 

[Jags]

I am not sure what "code" would be broken by insulating the floor. If I were doing it (and I am not a code jockey), I would be putting fiberglass with a vapor barrier up there.

 

[fox9988]

House shoes

 

[Ashful]

We have an old house with all wood floors, and just wear slippers in the house. Who wants to chance breaking their neck walking down a wood staircase in socks, anyway?

For the bedroom floor, since it seems to be an issue for you, I'd be looking at radiant floor heating. Pull down garage ceiling and insulation, install radiant system, re-insulate, drywall. Could be done in two weekends, or in one week by any competent contractor.

 

[rideau]

Sheepskin rugs, sheepskin slippers, or hiking or skiing socks.

The chilly floor likely keep the room a nice temp for sleeping.

Last several winters Cost Co has had a four skin sheepskin rug for a very reasonable price for several weeks...watch for it. Available in white, black or brown.

Easier and cheaper than any alternatives, and very enjoyable.

 

[Grisu]

Those foam panels can be installed inside without an additional fire barrier: (broken link removed)

 

[bag of hammers]

Roxul also makes a rigid panel, designed for basement walls I believe - 100% fire proof. But if the garage is insulated and drywall over that I'm not sure I would attach anything over top of existing drywall, if that's what she is talking about. I'd be inclined to drop the drywall and whatever insulation is up there, and inspect to see why it's so cold. Floors over garages seem to be a favorite spot for builders to skimp. If you have a bag of $, get a spray foam guy in to fill every void before the drywall goes back up. Radiant heat as mentioned would be nice.

Easy for me to spend your time and $$$....

 

[Ashful]

Easy for me to spend your time and $$$....

True, but the materials are not all that expensive... the time is. Anyone can insulate with batts, and hang and tape drywall. The radiant can be hot water or electric, and even much of that install could be handled by a handy homeowner.

 

[Holzstapel]

Are you certain that the ceiling in the garage is insulated? Drill a small hole in the ceiling and probe up there with a coat hanger or something. See if you can feel the layer of insulation.

Where i work we deal with developers cutting corners all the time. There is a high end residential complex where i had to go into every garage and probe the ceiling. Turns out about 75% of the ceilings were not insulated at all. The developer had to go back into every garage, remove the ceiling and install insulation.

 

[bag of hammers]

True, but the materials are not all that expensive... the time is. Anyone can insulate with batts, and hang and tape drywall. The radiant can be hot water or electric, and even much of that install could be handled by a handy homeowner.

Very good points. I mentioned spray foam - as I recall it almost made me fall off my chair when I started asking about cost. That pretty much drove me to DIY and Roxul, both of which I like.

Where i work we deal with developers cutting corners all the time. There is a high end residential complex where i had to go into every garage and probe the ceiling. Turns out about 75% of the ceilings were not insulated at all. The developer had to go back into every garage, remove the ceiling and install insulation

Scary, isn't it. That's where my brain was going. I would be very suspicious of this particular area over the garage. I thought I read somewhere that this was a very common complaint from new homeowners, for warranty claims, etc. If the insulation was done right (and the HVAC is up to spec) that room above should be a non-issue.

My (old) house supposedly has blown in insulation in the walls. I'd say after opening up a couple spots to do some repairs, the previous owner wasted their money. I'm sure there are good insulation contractors out there but I'd be wanting to have a look myself.

 

[jharkin]

Are you certain that the ceiling in the garage is insulated? Drill a small hole in the ceiling and probe up there with a coat hanger or something. See if you can feel the layer of insulation.

I'll bet your suspicion is right.
The OP stated that "The garage is insulated" He didn't specify but I'm betting by the symptoms that the garage walls are insulated and its treated as conditioned space (and thus no insulation between garage and bedroom above). They are probably actually using that garage as a garage and not heating it and thus even though insulated it probably stays quite cold.

I'll add another vote to drop the ceiling and insulate that floor. I cant think of any code issues affected so long as you pay attention to required fire breaks, etc.

 

[Ram 1500 with an axe...]

How about hanging an electric garage heater from the ceiling?

 

[Beer Belly]

I did check around a couple of openings in the garage ceiling, and it is insulated, probably not very well though.....Wife wants a quick fix, but I'd rather tear it apart and do what really needs to be done. A heated floor sounds great, but the Wife already freaks when our electric bill goes up even $5. I'm just gonna have to tell her to live with it, or do it my way.....and then duck

 

[Grisu]

Wife wants a quick fix, but I'd rather tear it apart and do what really needs to be done.

Sounds familiar.

A heated floor sounds great, but the Wife already freaks when our electric bill goes up even $5.

That's a keeper!

 

[jharkin]

Quick cheap correct

Picky any 2

 

[kingquad]

Dense packing the ceiling with cellulose will be your cheapest and easiest solution. You may have to cut some sections out of your ceiling to pull out the old insulation. Then just patch those sections. A good dense pack insulator will have a thermal I.R. camera and should be able to tell you if you missed any stud spaces. This will give you good r-value and stop air infiltration, while also being the most cost effective solution as long as you can hang and tape a little bit of drywall.

 

[kingquad]

Dense packing the ceiling with cellulose will be your cheapest and easiest solution. You may have to cut some sections out of your ceiling to pull out the old insulation. Then just patch those sections. A good dense pack insulator will have a thermal I.R. camera and should be able to tell you if you missed any stud spaces. This will give you good r-value and stop air infiltration, while also being the most cost effective solution as long as you can hang and tape a little bit of drywall.

By "cut some sections", mean cut strips just big enough to get the old insulation out.

 

[Hogwildz]

Those foam panels can be installed inside without an additional fire barrier: (broken link removed)

You ever see the amount of toxic black smoke polyisocyanurate puts out when it burns? I would never put that anywhere near my house.
I know our code requires not one, but two layers or sheetrock in garage ceilings with living space above. Might be just one for fire rated drywall, not sure there.
Polyiso is bad stuff. Allowed or not, that stuff would never make it near this house.

 

[Dave A.]

Another item to check would be the garage door's weather stripping -- is it tight or allowing a lot of air infiltration making the unheated garage colder than necessary. Newer doors often have better weather stripping systems than older doors.

 

[Beer Belly]

Another item to check would be the garage door's weather stripping -- is it tight or allowing a lot of air infiltration making the unheated garage colder than necessary. Newer doors often have better weather stripping systems than older doors.

I did check the weather stripping, and replaced the seal on the bottom of the door. Put in a new window last year. I'm thinking the blown insulation is the quickest, and easiest.....now to get her to accept the cost....it's funny, she wants things done, but then when she hears the cost

 

[mithesaint]

Quick cheap correct

Picky any 2

Amen brother.

 

[bag of hammers]

I fastened foam insulation boards beneath the floor of my cabin, but they're in the open crawl space, not indoors. I don't know if there's a code issue indoors. They do seem to keep the floors warmer.

I've got this on my to-do list as well. Did you already have the floor insulated? Sorry this is a bit off track....