Insulation

Garage conversions usually necessitate additional insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To comply with 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 improve 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 be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat especially badly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same level as the rest of the property. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be performed 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 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 lifting in order to meet the rest of the home as an additional layer of insulation can be easily added to either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be lifted it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.