So that old porch is starting to look a little boring. Have you considered putting in a sunroom addition? It’s a terrific way to give your home a whole new look while providing you with additional exterior living space that is far from boring. The good news is your local sunroom contractor can turn your humdrum porch into a dazzling sunroom without taking up too much of your financial resources.
Planning Your Sunroom
Now that you have decided you want a sunroom; you need to decide what kind of sunroom you want. The two options you have are three-season or four-season and the decision you make in this regard will largely be predicated on the weather in your area. There is a big difference between the two in that one will need to be equipped more thoroughly to handle the worst that comes with each of the four seasons.
So, what part of the country do you reside in? You can build a three-season sunroom if you live in an area that doesn’t get terribly severe winter weather. These are areas like California, Florida, Arizona, just to name a few. Regions that see little to no snow could do well with three-season sunrooms, while most other areas around the country, particularly in the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest, would do better with a four-season alternative instead.
Knowing which one version you are planning to put in can also better prepare you for building the appropriate sunroom for your home. A four-season option is going to require you to put in an HVAC system, which is typically installed as a standalone unit that is separate from your home’s central HVAC system.
Turning Your Porch into A Sunroom
The current placement of your porch should be good enough for converting into a sunroom. These additions are usually located on the first floor of the home just off the living room or the kitchen, or in some cases, connected to both. Chances are this is where your porch currently resides so converting into a sunroom should be a no-brainer in terms of placement.
Most porches are built to provide the homeowner with a good unobstructed view of the backyard and surrounding environment of the property.
The Size of Your Sunroom
Again, you may want to work from the size of your existing porch, though if you feel like you need additional space, there’s no reason why you can’t extend the size of the space. Consider how many people you anticipate will be spending time in the sunroom to decide how large or small it should be.
Even if you have been satisfied with the size of your porch, you might need to extend the square footage depending on what you want in your new sunroom.
Another thing to consider is entries and exits. How you walk in and out of the sunroom is important, will you still have access from the living room, kitchen, or both? What about another access point headed directly outside? Take these things into consideration when you’re planning your sunroom.
Extra Features
When you are in the planning stages of your sunroom, give a thought to the natural light that comes in. How do you expect that to occur? Through windows? Perhaps a skylight or two? Your sunroom should be able to receive plenty of sunlight. Otherwise, it will start to feel like just another room in your home.
What about other options for functionality? A sunroom can have screens in front of the windows to keep out the flies and mosquitoes. Even the glass you install in your sunroom can have a significant impact on the functionality of this addition to your home, particularly during the winter months. If you want to spend time out there when it’s cold outside, your HVAC unit shouldn’t have a problem heating that room effectively and efficiently.
That’s why you need to think about energy efficiency when you are installing glass into your sunroom. The rest of your home has energy efficient windows, you may want to consider having them in your sunroom as well so you’re operating your HVAC unit over shorter periods to sufficiently heat the space.
If you are installing an HVAC unit, you may also want to think about outfitting the space with electrical outlets and lighting. This will improve the functionality of the space and allow you to enjoy different appliances such as a refrigerator or television while you’re spending time there. This will make your sunroom more functional and give you greater versatility than a typical, boring porch.
