Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely require additional insulation as the garage space will be altered to a habitable room, and consequently must adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofing. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but additional insulation can be added to surpass these values and increase 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 prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be added around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is performed 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 added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also needed in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires raising in order to meet the rest of the house as an additional layer of insulation can be easily put into either a raised 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 necessary insulation.