Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely need extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore must adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofs. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally 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 doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly severely. 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 also require insulation. This is done by using 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 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 doesn’t need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.