Insulation

Garage conversions will often necessitate extra insulation as the garage space will be changed into a habitable room, and therefore needs to comply with building regulations for insulation in this kind of space. These regulations set a U-value for insulation, which measures 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 additional insulation can be added to exceed these values and improve energy efficiency. Wall insulation for garage conversions is typically done by employing 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 also be added around doors and windows as these areas can leak heat particularly poorly. Roofs for garage conversions will additionally require insulation. Pitched roofs need insulation to the same standard as the rest of your house. Flat roofs additionally require insulation. This is performed using 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 easier if the floor level of the garage requires elevating in order to meet the rest of the home as another layer of insulation can be easily put into either a raised concrete floor, timber joists or a floating floor. If the floor does not need to be raised it may be necessary to dig out the floor to add the necessary insulation.