Insulation

Garage conversions usually need additional insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore has to adhere to 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, flooring, and roofs. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but extra insulation can be installed to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done by employing 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 be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be performed by using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to avoid condensation forming. The other possibility 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 home as an additional layer of insulation can be easily added to either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be raised it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.