Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely require additional insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and consequently has to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations specify a U-value for insulation, which gauges the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, floors, and roofing. To adhere to building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all three of these areas, but additional insulation can be installed to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically accomplished by making use of internal wall insulation, which adds insulated plasterboard to the existing walls. This will add thermal insulation and stop heat from dissipating through the walls. Insulation must be added around windows and doors as these areas can leak heat particularly severely. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same standard as the rest of your home. Flat roofs also require insulation. This is achieved by 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 needed 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 extra layer of insulation can be easily added to either a elevated concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If flooring does not need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.