Insulation

Garage conversions will often require supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofs. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of the areas, but additional insulation can be added to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by employing internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the pre-existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be added around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same level as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be performed utilizing 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 added to either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be elevated it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.