Insulation

Garage conversions will often need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofing. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done by making use of 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 also be added around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same level as the rest of your house. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be achieved by 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 easier if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the house as an additional layer of insulation can be easily added to either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be elevated it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.