Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which measures 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 three of these areas, but extra insulation can be added to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done by employing internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the 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 particularly 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 also 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 possibility is a warm roof, where insulation is added 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 extra layer of insulation can be easily put into either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be lifted it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.