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The Essential
Guide to Sunrooms
Nowadays, a sunroom
is a popular addition to the home and is often first on the list of
home improvements. Nowadays, with the credit crunch and falling
house prices, the decision to build a sunroom or not is not as
obvious as before. Since building a sunroom may not increase the
value of the property significantly to cover the cost. Therefore the
first question to consider is this:
Do You Need A Sunroom Addition For Your Home?
If you have the money to spend, and if you wish an exciting extension for your home, then do consider a sunroom addition. If the term "sunroom" is quite unfamiliar for you, then perhaps you may be more acquainted with its other synonyms: patio, solarium and Florida room (the latter is a tribute to the preponderance of sunrooms in that sunny state). A sunroom will prove to be a worthy extension for your home. It can provide a place where you can relax and unwind under the natural warmth emitted by the sun. Sunbathe. Read a good book while sipping on a glass of refreshing Margarita. Have a massage. Get yourself a good ol' fashioned steam bath courtesy of nature's primary heat source. Simulate a beach environment right in the comforts of your own residence. The possibilities are endless with a sunroom addition.
Constructing a sunroom addition, however, will not be without cost. It can be expensive, for the process is very similar to constructing a room from the ground up. You'd need to find the area of your home where the sun shines its warm rays for most of the day. Preferably, however, this area should be illuminated by the sun during the morning, as the morning rays are the healthiest.
For a sunroom addition, you can have a simple patio, with only the patio furniture covering the area. Or you can have your very own, makeshift resort, with a small indoor pool providing the centerpiece of the said sunroom. You can even have a reading den, complete with a fridge, a bar, and a sun bed where you can relax and enjoy a nap or a good book.
A sunroom only needs concrete or brick foundations. The dividers an the roof can be made of glass to allow the sun's rays to come in. Hence, though constructing a sunroom may not be inexpensive, it does not have to be too expensive as well. With minimal furniture sets and equipments required, anyone who can afford such an extension for their homes will have little problems when it comes to fixing it up and making it a beautiful addition to the house.
Contrary to popular belief, a sunroom is not only limited to territories that enjoy warm weather. The sun rises in every part of the world, and even if it's cold outside, the warm rays of the sun can be harvested to provide the right kind of temperature for the sunroom.
Having decide to build a sunroom, the next step would be to look at
the various designs available.
Sunroom Design
There are many kinds of sunroom design you can implement for this particular extension of your home. Each design depends on the materials that will primarily be used to surround the said sunroom. Let's take a look at the options available for you, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages:
* Screened. Screens provide a natural passageway for the sun's rays. Also, it will allow the entry of a cool breeze from the outside, all the while excluding the entrance of unwanted pests and undesirable dirt. Of all the sunroom options available for the homeowner, a screened sunroom is the most inexpensive (with the possible exception of an al fresco design, of course). The problem with a screened sunroom design, however, is that it is less elegant to look at, compared to other possible makes.
* Glassed. Glass, unlike screen, is a very elegant material. It will instantly add that "wow" factor for your sunroom. Though many people are quite hesitant about glass given its apparent breakability, most glass materials these days are quite durable. Some glasses, in fact, are mixed with rubber during the composition process, thus making them absorb an impact without shattering into pieces. This technology can be observed in the glass used for windshields of cars. The disadvantage? Again, unlike screens, glass is actually one of the more expensive materials you can avail of for your sunroom design.
* Double glazed. If you have the money to spend, you can install double layers of glasses to shield your sunroom from outside forces without inhibiting the entry of the sun's rays. In between the two layers of glasses is gas that will help insulate your sunroom from the cold winter.
* Triple glazed. This will be a more expensive option, of course, but it is the one that is best recommended for sunrooms in colder territories. Such a sunroom is tasked with the duty of containing and preserving heat, which is exactly what the three layers of glass aim to accomplish. A double layer of glasses can only provide enough insulation to preserve the heat. Three layers will ensure that the heat will be maintained even through the harshest winter.
* Vinyl or PVC. A glass substitute, Vinyl or PVC is actually less expensive. Its durability makes it easier to maintain as well. This material is best recommended for beginners who just wish an elegant sunroom design that is both efficient and budget-friendly.
As with all major
renovations, building a sunroom and choosing the design should be
taken only after serious consideration.
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