Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely require extra insulation as the garage space will be altered to a habitable room, and therefore has to comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofing. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but extra insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed 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 installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially badly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is performed by 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 needed in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the home as an extra 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 may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.