If you spend a lot of time at home, the one way to get more enjoyment out of that time is to add a sunroom to your home. A sunroom, often called a conservatory, will give your home extra living space. With walls of glass, you will find it a great place to relax. However, because the walls of glass will allow extreme temperatures in both summer and winter, there are a lot of things to consider when building a sunroom. The following are just a few of the things to think about before you add one to your own home:
Location of Sunroom
The most important factor to consider when adding a sunroom to your home is its location. People living in the North will want to consider having the sunroom on the southern side of the house. This will allow you to get the most use of it as the sun will be shining into it when you get home from work. On the other hand, if you live in the South, you will want it on the Northern side of your home to prevent it from getting too overheated in the afternoon when you will want to make use of it. Either that or you will need to install a cooling device, as well.
Materials Used
The materials used in building your sunroom is another big consideration. While many of the sunrooms available in today’s market use vinyl with aluminum supports, you may not find it aesthetically appealing or it may not match the rest of your home. Sunrooms can be built using almost any material, but the one thing you want to do is be very careful with your window choice.
One of the most popular choices of windows for a sunroom is that with a high UV rating. In other words, you can sit in comfort, enjoying your room without fear of a sunburn. Just be sure to build with quality materials as you will want your room to stand up to the pressure of getting a lot of use by you and your family.
Size of Sunroom
Another factor to consider when building a sunroom is the size. You want the sunroom to be an extended living space, but if you go too large, it will not coincide with your home’s existing footprint and will actually look out of place. Too small and you are not going to find it very enjoyable when it is too crowded in it. Most people find that a 12’ by 12’ structure is often the best size, especially if you are going to turn it into a year-round space and will be spending money to heat it during the winter.
If you are planning a sunroom addition on your home, you will want to consider talking to your contractor about all of these things. The location, materials, and size of the room will all determine just how important it becomes to your lifestyle. Furthermore, if you do decide to sell your home in the future, you can be sure that the sunroom will add just enough additional appeal that your home will not stay on the market very long. You will even find that if done correctly, your sunroom will earn you a great return on your initial investment.
