Improving heat loss with concrete floor

[GarageGuy89]

I've got a room in the garage with full insulation, hvac, and carpeting (office style). I tore the carpeting out during our current re-model and have since noticed that the room is now an ice box. Project is on hold for now so we havnt installed the new carpet yet.

I don't remember it being this cold before when the carpet was in...Does carpeting really make that much of a difference that the exposed concrete floor drops the temps this much. The hvac guys sized the system properly for that room before the carpet went out.

Is my mind playing games with me...or do I need to adjust my HVAC or add additional heating?

 

[GarageGuy89]

After doing some more research it looks like a bare concrete floor will lose anywhere from 2-5 times as much heat compared to a concrete carpeted floor with padding. Which may be the cause here.

Anyone know if this sounds about right?

 

[Gerald O]

Sounds about right if the slab is not insulated underneath. Concrete has virtually zero insulation value, about R-0.08 per inch.
Carpet R-value could be around R-3 for pad and carpet combined.

You could actually install an inch or two of foam on top of the slab with plywood or OSB over that to get a comparatively huge boost in insulation value. For example 1/2" of polyiso foam board would give you about R-3.5 alone.

 

[Bojans]

Take a look at Dricore flooring. It is a floating wood floor that places a 1/2" break between the cement and the OSB. This made a huge difference in my basement.

 

[James-W]

Sounds about right if the slab is not insulated underneath. Concrete has virtually zero insulation value, about R-0.08 per inch.
Carpet R-value could be around R-3 for pad and carpet combined.

You could actually install an inch or two of foam on top of the slab with plywood or OSB over that to get a comparatively huge boost in insulation value. For example 1/2" of polyiso foam board would give you about R-3.5 alone.

One on the guys I bowl with did that in his basement. He says it worked out wonderful.