I hope everyone is enjoying the warm weather we’ve had the last few weeks! With this warm weather some people wonder how much would they use a three season sunroom, as some decks are too hot now. Wouldn't a sunroom be even hotter? The answer is - yes and no. The two biggest factors in how warm a sunroom will get is the direction it faces and the overall design of the room.
Some people think the south is the hottest but it's actually the west side. Facing south, you get sun directly on the glass for a few hours in the morning and a few hours in the evening but during the hot summer months between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm (the hottest part of the day) the sun is almost directly overhead, with the roof giving you shade, making it cooler than a deck alone. However, in the winter when the sun is much lower, you now get that solar gain which greatly extends your time outside. Rooms facing west tend to be a little hotter as the sun is setting it hits the glass more directly causing solar gain (on top of having the heat all day, unlike the east side). Designs with as much screen as possible on these sides helps to reduce solar gain. Also screens right up to the ceiling are beneficial in preventing the hot air rising an becoming trapped in "dead air" spaces. During winter these rooms pick up solar gain and again greatly extend your outdoor living season. The north side is the coolest side of all but will not extend the season quite as long as the other three sides (without heat).
Another interesting fact is that no matter how many windows with screens you have, opening all of them is not always the answer. Sometimes less is more - opening certain windows at certain times will actually improve air flow as you create a wind tunnel effect.
No matter what side you face, the positives outweigh the negatives, which is why every room we build will bring us 3 to 5 referrals. If you would like more info, contact us at (204) 940-3030 or visit our factory for a tour.