Tips On Creating the Perfect Sunroom

As a homeowner, you should consider creating a sunroom for your family to enjoy. A sunroom, also known as a patio room, sun porch, or solarium, is a refreshing and relaxing area to cool down in during the hot season, as well as get enough sunlight from during winter. Not only will it be beneficial for the family, but a sunroom can also add to your home’s value.

Before adding a sunroom to your home, you should consider the following tips:

1. Determine The Sunroom’s Purpose

Before anything else, you must have a clear idea of your sunroom’s purpose. Generally, a sunroom can be a relaxing place for the whole family, but it must also have a practical function.

Although you can choose from the various options out there, you can consider the two general purposes:

1. Home Office – Especially nowadays, wherein working at home is more practical and safer, you can use a sunroom as your home office. Not only can it limit distractions, but it can also increase your productivity because you’re getting natural sunlight. However, too much heat may be uncomfortable, so it’s best to have an in-wall PTAC air conditioning unit so that it can balance the sunroom’s temperature. Packaged terminal air conditioning units work well for smaller areas wherein the temperature needs to be controlled.
2. Entertainment – Besides staying in your living or family room, you can use a sunroom as an entertainment area. Aside from getting enough sunlight during the day while playing pool or table games, you can enjoy watching the starry sky at night. Thus, you can have a terrific space for game nights or family gatherings.
   

2. Consider Hot And Cold Seasons

After deciding on your sunroom’s main purpose, you should then think about how to keep a comfortable temperature throughout the year. Whatever purpose your sunroom is intended for, you won’t get to enjoy it under extreme temperatures. Since a sunroom is usually made of glass, it’s an area that easily gets hot or cold.

You can remedy this issue with the right insulation and construction. By then, you can enjoy your sunroom’s comforts, be it during snowy, rainy, or windy weather.

Here are tips on how to keep the temperature of your sunroom comfortable throughout the year:

1. Keep the temperature cool during the hot weather by installing air-conditioning units. If you’re short on your budget, you can opt for a refurbished PTAC unit. This type of unit, whether repaired or recalibrated, still works like new since refurbished PTAC units undergo a strict refurbishment process before being marketed.
2. You can also install ventilation fans or openings to increase the airflow in your sunroom. This way, hot air will escape through the vents with the help of ventilation fans. Moreover, fans won’t keep the air lingering within the space, allowing the air to keep moving.
3. During the winter, keeping your sunroom warm is a priority. You can do so by insulating your sunroom’s exterior walls so heat won’t escape easily. You can either install weather-stripping around your sunroom’s windows or add a layer of clear plastic. You can even prevent radiant heat from escaping when you apply window tint. By insulating your sunroom, the weather outside won’t affect the temperature inside. That way, you can still get a marvelous view of the outdoors without having to deal with extreme temperatures.

3. Don’t Forget Its Lighting

Even when natural light fills the sunroom as it’s made of glass, you still need to install lighting in it. As mentioned, you might need to use your sunroom not only during the day, but even when the sun’s out.

You can also use lighting to add more style to your sunroom. Depending on your preferences, you can choose any of the following lighting styles:

1. Ceiling Fan With Light – Not only will a modern ceiling fan with light look industrial, but it’ll also help circulate the air. That way, you can enjoy a warm evening with great airflow and enough light. There are various designs you can choose from for this type of lighting fixture, from a simple smoked iron to quorum windmill styles.
2. Lanterns And Lamps – Alongside fans with lighting, you can embellish your sunroom with multiple textured lamps or lanterns, especially if you’re going for a nautical theme. If your sunroom is surrounded by greenery, you can add brown or bright white-colored lamps or lanterns to create contrast. Moreover, having these lighting fixtures around can illuminate the space.
3. Chandelier – If your sunroom’s theme is all about elegance, then dangling crystal lights will complete it. You must also research what type of chandelier will go with your sun porch’s design. That way, you can enjoy resting on that comfortable daybed surrounded by glamourous light.

Conclusion

Creating a sunroom as an added space for leisure or as a home office is a great way to maximize your house’s space. But you can only enjoy the sunroom if you design it well. Thus, before diving into creating this space, you must know how your sunroom will function. That way, the design will be according to the sunroom’s purpose.

You can also fully enjoy using it by keeping the sunroom’s temperature cool or warm depending on the weather. Do so by insulating or installing an air conditioning unit.

Lastly, you mustn’t forget to install the right kind of lighting, whether it’s to add light or for beautification.