Insulation

Garage conversions frequently necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which measures the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To meet 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 increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be installed around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same level as the rest of your house. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be done by using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to avoid condensation forming. The other possibility is a warm roof, where insulation is added 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 an additional layer of insulation can be easily put into either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.