Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely require extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently must comply with 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 roofs. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but supplementary insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically 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 be installed around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same level as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be performed 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 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 elevating in order to meet the rest of the house as another layer of insulation can be easily put into either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be lifted it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.