Insulation

Garage conversions frequently need additional insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently must comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which assesses 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 these areas, but extra insulation can be added to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished 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 severely. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be performed utilizing a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to prevent 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 easier if the floor level of the garage requires lifting in order to meet the rest of the house as another layer of insulation can be easily put into either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be raised it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.