Insulation

Garage conversions usually necessitate additional 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 assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of these areas, but additional insulation can be added to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically done 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 particularly severely. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same level as the rest of your house. 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 prevent condensation forming. The other possibility is a warm roof, where insulation is added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also required in garage conversions. This is less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the home as an additional layer of insulation can be easily added to either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be elevated it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.