Debunking The Myths – Introducing The Reality
“We are definitely in a different era when it comes to sunrooms,” says Ben Kripps, President of ClearView Sunrooms & Windows. “They are better looking, better performing and much more energy efficient than in the past.”
Stuck In The Past
“Some people think of the sunroom products of forty years ago when they consider a sunroom addition to their homes,” says Kripps. “They are usually very pleasantly surprised when they learn the single pane glass, aluminum, metallic-looking, noninsulated glass-roofed structures are now just a bad memory.”
New Era
“The products available to homeowners today are so technologically advanced in comparison to what people remember from the Seventies and early Eighties,” Kripps says. “There is really no comparison. The designs, incorporating new technologies, have created incredible options for homeowners. We still have 3-season room designs, however, 95% of the sunrooms we build are All-Season sunrooms because there is very little difference in the monetary investment.”
New Technology in New Millennium Sunrooms
- Insulated Floors
- Foundations are more stable (including platform floors, footed slabs, crawl spaces, basements)
- Walls with Energy Star™ Windows, thermal separations and insulated extrusions
- Fit and finish are exceptional because rooms are built on-site by trim carpenters
- Sliding pop-out windows that are easy to clean and can be quickly removed for maximum ventilation with full screens
- Windows have a picture framed look (brick molded like traditional building) that can match replacement windows in the rest of the home
- Shingled roof to match existing roof whether it is an A-frame/gable or a slanted/studio roof
- Roofs are insulated (R-13, R-26, R-40) as compared to glass roofs rated at R-4
- The amount of glass, much more than used in traditional building methods, eliminates the “closed in feel”
- Heating for All-Season sunrooms can be done many ways including a PTAC unit (heat/cool/heat pump), heated fans, a direct or zone heated furnace, a fireplace or stove (wood/electric/pellet/corn/gas)
- Passive solar gain can be significant if your All-Season room faces south or west.
- All windows use tempered glass for safety
One of the most popular options for sunrooms is an individual heating/cooling/heat pump unit because sunrooms are used differently than other rooms in a home. Comfort and energy efficiency are the final results of a separate climate control.
All-Season sunrooms feature Energy Star™ rated double pane windows that are brick molded like replacement windows. In fact, your replacement windows for your home can match the windows on your All-Season sunroom exactly.
Get in Touch
Looking to Add a Sunroom to Your Home?
We’re here to help! To get started on your next project, or to schedule a free consultation, contact ClearView Sunrooms & Windows today at (608) 226–9800.
