Insulation

Garage conversions will often need additional insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofing. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished by making use of 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 windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same level 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 option is a warm roof, where insulation is installed above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also needed in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the house as an extra layer of insulation can be easily added to either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be raised it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.