Sunrooms, solariums, screen rooms, Florida rooms or four-season rooms – whatever you like to call it – are considered to be an incredibly valuable addition to the home, offering the homeowner additional living space and lovely views of their backyard or garden. Unfortunately, temperature control can be a challenge. Sure, the windows are beautiful, but they don’t exactly help the sunroom stay cool in the middle of July or warm in Pennsylvania’s usually harsh winters.
So how do you make this room usable and comfortable all year long? Tinted windows and a ceiling fan may help for a while, but they won’t provide you with real comfort when its 102 degrees outside.
You could tap into your home’s existing HVAC system to access heating and cooling that is already available. A contractor can add new ducts to the existing line. This is usually the most costly option, but it contributes to the home’s value substantially. If this is the selection you choose, it is essential that accommodations are made to the HVAC system to handle the additional load; otherwise you may end up needing to replace your entire system.
Additionally, only using one central thermostat will not regulate the sunroom’s temperature accurately. To combat this, you can add zoning, which will enable your HVAC system to serve different areas of your home independently. Each zone has its own thermostat to ensure the utmost comfort all year round.
If you’re not ready for the expense of a tapping into your existing system, a Packaged Terminal Air Conditioning (PTAC) unit is another option to consider. These units are usually 2’ x 4’ are commonly found in hotel rooms. While they will heat and cool rooms very effectively, they are not as energy efficient as other options and can be costly to run.
Finally, mini-split technology is also a viable option. It is incredibly similar to traditional systems, however, it does not use ductwork to circulate the air, but wall mounted indoor unit handles. These systems were specifically designed for sunrooms and are efficient and powerful, yet quiet. They come in a range of options to meet your heating and cooling needs.
If you’re tired of only using your sunroom for ten minutes a day in the heat of the summer, call A&A Mechanical at 215-396-1525 to learn more about cooling options that will work best for your space.