Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely need extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofs. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the pre-existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be added around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly severely. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is achieved by using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to prevent 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 less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the home 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 doesn’t need to be elevated it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.