Insulation

Garage conversions will most likely need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of room. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which measures 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 of these areas, but extra insulation can be added to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically performed by using 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 installed 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 level 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 prevent condensation forming. The other option 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 raising 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 the floor doesn’t need to be lifted it could be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.