Insulation

Garage conversions often need supplementary insulation as the garage space will be altered to a habitable room, and consequently needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this type of space. These regulations designate a U-value for insulation, which measures the rate of heat loss. These are set differently for walls, flooring, 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 surpass these values and improve 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 severely. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will demand insulation to the same level as the rest of your home. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is achieved utilizing 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 home as an additional layer of insulation can be easily put into either a lifted concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be raised it might be necessary to dig out the floor to add the required insulation.