Insulation

Garage conversions will often necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore must adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which measures the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but extra insulation can be added 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 stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is done by using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to avoid 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 less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires raising in order to meet the rest of the house as an additional layer of insulation can be easily put into either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be lifted it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.