Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore must comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind 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 roofs. To comply with 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 increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically performed by using 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 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 will require insulation to the same level 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 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 elevating in order to meet the rest of the house as another layer of insulation can be easily put into either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be lifted it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.