Insulation

Garage conversions usually require additional insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently must comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but additional insulation can be installed to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished by employing internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be added around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially badly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same level as the rest of your house. 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 prevent condensation forming. The other possibility 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 raising in order to meet the rest of the house as an extra layer of insulation can be easily put into either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be elevated it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.