Our very own, Debby Allmon, was featured in the Kansas City Star’s Handyman section talking about Insulating a Garage. See what she had to say about it. Here’s the reader’s question:
I am interested in how to better insulate my garage so that my primarybathroom and closet above the garage can be warmer. The garage walls are insulated on the sides as well as the ceiling (floor of the primarybath and closet).
However, our primarybath and closet are still cold — so cold that standing on the primarybath tile floor with bare feet feels like you’re standing in the snow. I also recently tiled the primarybath floor, so I do not want to pull up the tile and lay down a heating underlayment/element. How can I improve the insulation in the garage short of adding a heating vent and heating the garage?
And Debby’s answer:
Since there is already insulation in the floor of the bath/ceiling of the garage, I would first verify everything else in the bathroom is functioning properly: Is the bathroom ceiling insulated? Are the windows caulked?
Then I would have an insulation professional check the ceiling insulation in the garage (if the ceiling has wall board, you will need to cut some holes). If you find that you need additional insulation, ask the contractor about blowing in a dense-pack cellulose. The contractor can recommend the best method and product to increase the insulation performance.
There are other alternatives to heat the room. An electric heater can be installed in the toe kick of a cabinet or in the wall of the bath and be set on a thermostat to keep the room warm. You could also install a heat lamp in the ceiling.
I prefer the toe-kick heater installation in a vanity or a linen cabinet because, as we know, heat rises and the warm air will come across your cold tile floor and rise to heat the whole room. This type of heat source is discreet and functional. For more information, go to www.heatersplus.com.
Debby Allmon is a certified remodeler and vice president of Schloegel Design Remodel in Kansas City. Send questions to [email protected] or Handyman, House + Home, FYI, The Kansas City Star, 1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108.
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/04/16/2796248/debby-allmon.html#ixzz1Jz35QttP