Insulation

Garage conversions usually require extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently must comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which measures the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but additional insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is performed utilizing a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to prevent 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 elevating in order to meet the rest of the house as another layer of insulation can be easily added to either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.