Insulation

Garage conversions often need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently must comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but extra insulation can be installed to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically 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 windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly severely. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same level as the rest of your home. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be performed 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 installed above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also needed in garage conversions. This is easier 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 added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be elevated it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.