Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely necessitate supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but extra insulation can be installed to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done by employing internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same level as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is done 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 installed 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 house as another 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 might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.