Upgraded sunroom glass – is it a good idea?

Putting Low E glass into your sunroom is a sizable investment regardless of which brand you choose.  Low E glass will reduce the amount of energy needed to heat and cool the room.  That not only will result in lower utility costs, but will also mean less stress on your heating or cooling unit.

If you plan to use your sunroom during the outdoor season without heating or cooling, Low E glass will keep it more comfortable on hot days.  Betterliving sunrooms have  Low E tempered glass in all of its sunrooms windows and doors.

1. Leaks: Don’t take on a DIY sunroom project as a do-it-yourself project, unless you live in an area where it never rains. If you live in an area where it rains, you will be fighting leaks forever.
2. Permits:  To receive a permit from your local building department, you will have to meet the requirements of a patio room. It will take you many discussions with them to get it designed to satisfy them.
3. Engineering: How much of a snow load do you have to meet where you are? Will the sunroom be subjected to things falling out of the sky, like pinecones? This will determine the best material to use for the roof panels.
4. Heating and Cooling: The roof and glass you choose could generate a lot of heat, and the more glass you have, the more heat it will generate. What sort of a climate are you in?
5. Flashing: The thing to remember when designing a glass enclosure is that it will leak either by condensation or penetration. To avoid having to deal with constant nagging problems provide an exit (weep holes) for these leaks and a built in gutter to channel water to the exterior. Don’t forget flashing where the structure joins the house.

Professional installed manufactured sunrooms may seem high priced, but they have been designed and tested to avoid all of the problems do-it-yourselfers have trouble with.

1. Sunrooms are an affordable way to add extra space to your home
2. Sunrooms increase the value of your home
3. A sunroom is a space you WILL use!  On average – sunrooms are used 4 hours a day, according to research by sunroomkey.com.
4. Every year, sunrooms re-coup most of their value when the home is sold, according to annual reports by Qualified Remodeler Magazine.
5. A sunroom allows you to enjoy the beauty of your garden in comfort – rain, wind or shine.
6. Sunrooms can be used in a variety of ways – dining, exercising, playing cards, doing homework, growing plants, reading….
7. Sunrooms benefit your health – the fresh air and sunshine are stress reducers