Insulation

Garage conversions typically necessitate additional insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently must comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be added to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically performed by making use of 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 windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. 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 is done by using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to prevent 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 less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires lifting in order to meet the rest of the house as an additional layer of insulation can be easily put into either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.