Insulation

Garage conversions often require extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which measures the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but additional insulation can be installed to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed by making use of 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 doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly badly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same level as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is achieved by using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to prevent condensation forming. The other option 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 extra layer of insulation can be easily added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be elevated it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.