A sunroom can be a beautiful addition to your home and provide you with a small oasis away from the hustle and bustle. You can use it as a relaxing reading room, a place to watch movies in the rain, or a peaceful place to have a tea party with friends.
While that sounds well and good, it’s important to also understand what you are getting into if you decide you want to create one in your home. Here are the things you should keep in mind during the whole process from start to finish.
What Are Your Expectations?
You should start by asking yourself what you want to get out of your sunroom. There are three main types of sunrooms that exist on a spectrum from comfortable to hot. The first type of sunroom is called a “three-season” space because they are comfy during the fall, spring, and summer and they are able to fit some furniture and plants.
Next, you have sunrooms that act like greenhouses. These might be a bit uncomfortable to hang out in, but they are great for plants that love the heat and humidity. And the hottest option is where you will find sunrooms designed to capture heat. These act as passive solar heat collectors and might be too hot for humans and plants, but they can lower your heating bill if you install and manage them correctly.
Tips on Sunroom Success
Here are some tips to keep in mind when you are designing your very own sunroom:
- Ask your potential contractors for a heat loss calculation on the building options you are looking at. Most professional suppliers will be able to use software to calculate this, and these numbers are necessary for designing a sunroom heating system correctly.
- A common sunroom can increase humidity in your home, especially if you are planning to have many plants in it. This might mean you need to install additional mechanical ventilation throughout your home.
- It’s best to plan an individual heating system for your sunroom that is independent of the rest of your home.
- You can choose to install sunroom glazing tilted 10 to 15 degrees steeper than the site latitude to maximize wintertime solar heat gain.
- Install a fan to circulate the air within your sunroom.
- If your sunroom sits on top of a concrete slab, have it insulated underneath with at least two inches of insulation.
- You can also plant some deciduous trees outside the walls of your sunroom, this will lower excess heat buildup during the summer while allowing full sunlight during the wintertime.
The thought process required to decide on adding a sunroom to your home is similar to deciding on buying a swimming pool. You’ll need to do a cost/benefits analysis before you decide. If you love it and would use it every day, then you should go for it.
Best Windows and Doors Winnipeg
If you are looking for window and door installation for any new additions in your home, contact Best Windows & Doors Inc. today.