Insulation

Garage conversions frequently need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be altered to a habitable room, and consequently must comply with 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, floors, and roofing. 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 surpass these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by employing internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and prevent heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must also be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is done 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 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 raising 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 the floor does not need to be elevated it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.