Insulation

Garage conversions typically necessitate supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore 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 comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of the areas, but additional insulation can be installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished by employing 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 added around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same level as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be achieved utilizing 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 easier 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 lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be raised it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.