Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely require extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore has to comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations specify 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 extra 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 existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be added around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of the property. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is achieved 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 installed above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also needed 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 put into either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be raised it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.