Insulation

Garage conversions usually necessitate supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore has to comply with 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, floors, and roofing. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but extra insulation can be installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished by employing 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 be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially severely. 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 achieved 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 needed in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the home as another layer of insulation can be easily added to either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.