Insulation

Garage conversions will often need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore must comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but additional insulation can be installed to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed by making use of 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 especially severely. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be 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 lifting in order to meet the rest of the home as another layer of insulation can be easily added to either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.