Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of room. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which measures the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be added to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically performed 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 windows and doors as these areas can leak heat especially poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of the property. Flat roofs additionally 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 essential 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 additional layer of insulation can be easily put into either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.