Insulation

Garage conversions often need additional insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently 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 roofs. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but additional insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by using internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be installed around doors and windows 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 performed 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 raising in order to meet the rest of the home as another layer of insulation can be easily added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be elevated it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.