Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely require extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which measures 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 installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally 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 be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly badly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same level as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be 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 added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also required in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires lifting in order to meet the rest of the home as an extra layer of insulation can be easily added to either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.