Insulation

Garage conversions usually necessitate supplementary insulation as the garage space will be altered to a habitable room, and therefore needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which assesses the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To meet building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to surpass these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is normally done 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 be installed around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat especially severely. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same level as the rest of the property. 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 prevent condensation forming. The other possibility is a warm roof, where insulation is added above the roof joists. Floor insulation is also needed in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the house as an extra layer of insulation can be easily added to either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring doesn’t need to be elevated it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.