Insulation

Garage conversions frequently necessitate supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but additional insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done by using 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 be added around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same level as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be achieved utilizing 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 essential in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires raising in order to meet the rest of the house as another layer of insulation can be easily put into either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be lifted it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.