Insulation

Garage conversions frequently necessitate additional insulation as the garage space will be converted 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, floors, and roofing. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of the areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically performed by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the pre-existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be added around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same level as the rest of the property. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be performed using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to avoid condensation forming. The other option is a warm roof, where insulation is installed above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also needed 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 put into either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be lifted it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.