Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely necessitate supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently must adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which measures the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofing. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be added to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by using 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 also be added around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly 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 also require insulation. This is performed using 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 installed above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also essential in garage conversions. This is less difficult 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 raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.