Insulation

Garage conversions will often need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently must adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which assesses 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 of the areas, but supplementary insulation can be added to surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished 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 windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly severely. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is achieved by using 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 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 lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be elevated it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.