Insulation

Garage conversions frequently necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, and roofing. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of the areas, but additional insulation can be added to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the pre-existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be added 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 standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This can be performed 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 required 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 extra layer of insulation can be easily put into either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be raised it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.