Insulation

Garage conversions usually need additional insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations designate 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 three of these areas, but extra insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished 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 doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially badly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be achieved by 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 house 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 raised it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.