Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely necessitate supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. 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 increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically performed by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the pre-existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop 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 additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same level as the rest of the property. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be achieved 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 added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also required in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires lifting in order to meet the rest of the house as an additional layer of insulation can be easily added to either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.