Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely need additional insulation as the garage space will be altered to a habitable room, and therefore must 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, floors, and roofs. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by using internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the pre-existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be added around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly badly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same standard as the rest of the property. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is performed by using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to avoid condensation forming. The other option is a warm roof, where insulation is installed above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also essential in garage conversions. This is easier 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 raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be raised it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.