Insulation

Garage conversions often necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be converted into a habitable room, and therefore needs to adhere to building regulations for insulation in this kind 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 roofs. To comply with building regulations the garage conversion must meet the U-values in all of the areas, but supplementary insulation can be installed to exceed these values and increase energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically done by making use of 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 be installed around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will also require insulation. Pitched roofs will require insulation to the same standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs also require insulation. This can be achieved 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 essential in garage conversions. This is easier if the floor level of the garage requires raising in order to meet the rest of the house as an extra 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.