Insulation

Garage conversions often need extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently has to comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofs. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but supplementary insulation can be added to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically performed by using internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be added around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly severely. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of the property. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be done by using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to prevent condensation forming. The other possibility is a warm roof, where insulation is added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also essential in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires lifting in order to meet the rest of the home as another layer of insulation can be easily put into either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be lifted it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.