Insulation

Garage conversions frequently need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. 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 three of the areas, but extra insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally 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 especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be achieved 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 lifting in order to meet the rest of the house as an additional layer of insulation can be easily put into either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be elevated it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.