Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely require extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations designate 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 three of these areas, but additional insulation can be installed to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done by using internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be installed around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs additionally 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 required in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires raising in order to meet the rest of the home as an additional layer of insulation can be easily added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be elevated it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.