Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be altered to a habitable room, and consequently needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations designate 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 these areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically done by making use of 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 installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially severely. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same standard as the rest of the property. Flat roofs also 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 option is a warm roof, where insulation is added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also required in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires raising in order to meet the rest of the home 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 lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.