Insulation

Garage conversions will often require extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which measures 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 additional insulation can be installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done by employing 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 severely. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of the property. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is 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 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 raising in order to meet the rest of the home as an additional layer of insulation can be easily put into either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.