Insulation

Garage conversions usually necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but additional insulation can be installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by making use of 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 installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially badly. 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 can be achieved utilizing 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 added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also needed in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires lifting in order to meet the rest of the home as an extra layer of insulation can be easily added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor doesn’t need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.