Insulation

Garage conversions will often require supplementary insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore must comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which measures the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofs. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of the areas, but extra insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally accomplished by using 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 also be added around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat especially severely. Roofs for garage conversions will also 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 performed 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 added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also required in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires lifting in order to meet the rest of the home as an extra layer of insulation can be easily put into either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.