When it comes to ensuring energy efficient homes and spaces, U-values play a key role in determining how well a structure retains heat. Whether you’re building a home extension, renovating an old conservatory, or choosing new daylighting solutions, understanding U-values can help you make more informed decisions about what materials and products you should use.
A U-value – also known as thermal transmittance – is used to indicate the insulating performance of a building material or element. It is measured in units of Watts per square metre Kelvin (W/m2K). Put simply, it is a measure of how quickly heat can travel from the inside to the outside of a building, or vice versa.
All buildings in the UK are subject to regulations that state the U-values each of their elements must meet e.g. walls, roofs, floors, ceilings and more. This includes set requirements for additional or replaced elements, such as new conservatory roofs and home extensions.
In addition to being a legal requirement, ensuring projects deliver excellent thermal performance is crucial to creating safe, comfortable and affordable homes where people can thrive.
If a room is continually too hot or too cold, it not only makes it unpleasant to spend time in but also can potentially lead to issues with serious health implications. For example, when warmer air entering a cold room condenses on its walls and ceilings, it causes damp spots to form, providing the perfect conditions for mould to grow,which can lead to respiratory infections, allergic reactions, and asthma.
Ensuring good thermal efficiency doesn’t only ensure a safe and functional space but also means less energy will be needed to maintain a comfortable temperature as:
This not only helps to lower energy bills but also helps reduce a home’s associated carbon footprint— making thermal performance a key priority for cost- and eco-conscious homeowners.
Understanding U-values can help when comparing materials and products. However, it is important to check that manufacturers are calculating these values accurately. Looking out for home improvement systems that carry certifications for their U-values from trusted bodies such as the BRE can offer some guarantees for its performance, allowing you to choose the best option for your job. This independent testing can also lead to these solutions being fully approved by quality and building control bodies, such as Hertfordshire Building Control (HBC). These partnerships can help streamline various building control checks and ensure a smooth construction process.
Learn more about Guardian’s commitment to independent testing.
A thermally efficient guardian Warm Roof installation
It’s also important to consider how straightforward the system will be to install. Any gaps in the insulation layer or areas that have worse thermal performance can result in what is known as a thermal bridge— a pathway for heat to travel between the inside and outside.
Choosing offsite solutions that are produced in a factory to meet projects’ exact specifications including openings for windows and doors, can help to ensure a quick, reliable and predictable build schedule, ensuring quality installations that can be accurately scheduled and cause minimal disruption.
All Guardian Certified Installers are also required to participate in full training on the systems they install,, ensuring they know what’s needed for an effective and efficient build. We also offer direct on-site advice and support to ensure any problems are resolved without compromising performance.
At Guardian, we are committed to providing innovative and trustworthy home improvement solutions for both homeowners and professionals alike. We also believe that empowering people with the right tools and knowledge can help them to make the best choices for their homes and businesses. That’s why we’ve made sure the U-value performance of both our Guardian Warm Roof and Guardian Home Extension System have been verified by independent certification bodies, and that their installation is carried out by trained experts who have access to our support throughout the project.
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