Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely need additional insulation as the garage space will be changed 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 assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofs. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but additional insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done by using 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 doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially severely. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of the property. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be achieved 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 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 additional layer of insulation can be easily added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be lifted it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.