Insulation

Garage conversions often require additional insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently must 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 comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be added to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished by employing 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 doors and windows 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 house. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is achieved utilizing 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 required 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 an extra layer of insulation can be easily added to either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be elevated it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.