Insulation

Garage conversions frequently need additional insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore must adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. 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 meet 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 improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also 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 require insulation to the same level as the rest of the property. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is done using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to avoid 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 lifting in order to meet the rest of the house as another 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 raised it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.