Insulation

Garage conversions usually necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be altered to a habitable room, and therefore has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but extra insulation can be added to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed 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 installed around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly badly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same level as the rest of the property. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is performed utilizing a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to prevent condensation forming. The other option is a warm roof, where insulation is added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also needed in garage conversions. This is easier 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 raised 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.