Insulation

Garage conversions typically necessitate supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore has to comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of the areas, but additional insulation can be installed to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically done by employing 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 also be added around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat especially badly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is performed 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 installed 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 home as an extra layer of insulation can be easily added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be elevated it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.