Insulation

Garage conversions usually need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore must comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of space. 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 adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but additional insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the pre-existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be installed around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same standard as the rest of the property. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is performed by using 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 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 does not need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.