Insulation

Garage conversions frequently necessitate additional insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently must adhere to 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, flooring, and roofs. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but extra insulation can be added to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed by making use of 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 be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same level as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be done 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 added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also required in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the house as an extra layer of insulation can be easily put into either a raised 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.