A well-designed sunroom can be enjoyed year-round!
Are you wondering whether the upcoming winter season is going to affect the enjoyment of your home’s sunroom? Do you wish that your sunroom wasn’t so cold and drafty in the winter time? If designed well, a sunroom can be a great place in your home to spend time year-round. If you have an older sunroom, retrofitting it with some energy efficient features may be a great way to enhance its usability! Here are some ways do to this.
Sealing up Air Leaks
Air leaks are a definite hindrance to the enjoyment of your sunroom in the winter and summer. Add some weather-stripping around the frames to prevent the air from leaking.
Window Tinting
Window tinting can also help you spend some more time in your sunroom. Tinting reduces the intensity of sunlight, blocks ultraviolet rays, and minimizes glare. There are many varieties and intensities of tints available, but you should definitely look into what’s called a “low-E” radiant blocker. This not only prevents radiant solar energy from coming into the room in the summer, making it too hot; but also traps radiant energy inside your sunroom and prevents it from escaping in the winter.
Cover Up Your Windows
You can use a weatherization kit, available at most hardware stores, to help keep your sunroom warmer in the winter. This basically consists of adding a layer or two of plastic film to the windows which is removed once warmer weather arrives. This does use up a lot of plastic, however. A more sustainable option is hanging insulating curtains or drapes over the windows. Keep them open during the day to enjoy the sunlight and close them in the evening to keep the frigid air out.
Add a Ceiling Fan
Ceiling fans can help keep your sunroom cool during the summer, but you can also invert the blades to circulate warm air during the winter!
Install a Fireplace or Other Heating Element
A gas or wood fireplace could be just the thing to make your sunroom comfortable during the winter. Alternatively, you could also check out the various space heaters on the market.
Ready to Save some Money on your Energy Bills?
For a beautiful remodeling project done by professionals you can trust, contact Blair Construction. We have been serving our valued Maryland customers for almost thirty years and look forward to giving your home the care it needs for years to come. Contact us online or give us a call at (410) 729-0777 to get a free in-home estimate. To see examples of our work and get updates on what we are up to, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Houzz.