Insulation

Garage conversions will often need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and consequently needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind 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 comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally performed by employing 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 installed around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat especially badly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is performed using a cold roof system, where insulation is fixed between the roof joists along with ventilation to avoid 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 less difficult if the floor level of the garage requires lifting in order to meet the rest of the house as another layer of insulation can be easily put into either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be lifted it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.