Insulation

Garage conversions frequently necessitate additional insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofing. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done 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 also be installed around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly badly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same level as the rest of the property. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be 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 installed 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 an extra layer of insulation can be easily put into either a lifted 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 necessary insulation.