Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely require extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently must adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which measures 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 of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically performed by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the pre-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 especially poorly. 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 additionally require insulation. This is done 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 installed 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 an extra layer of insulation can be easily put into either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.