Insulation

Garage conversions usually require supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore has to comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations specify 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 exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed 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 be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially severely. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same level as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be achieved 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 essential in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires raising in order to meet the rest of the house as an extra layer of insulation can be easily put into either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.