Insulation

Garage conversions frequently necessitate additional insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore must adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished by using internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must 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 level as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be achieved using 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 installed above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also required in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires raising in order to meet the rest of the home as an additional layer of insulation can be easily added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be elevated it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.