Summer on Delmarva is filled with fun, sun and good times. Your porch is the perfect spot to sip a sweet, tart lemonade while enjoying the great outdoors. Unfortunately, it also is inundated with bugs, heat and humidity. Screened porches and sunrooms allow you to enjoy the outdoors while avoiding unwanted elements of nature such as mosquitoes or rain. Knowing how you will use the room, and during which seasons you would like to utilize the space will help you decide which style best suits your family’s needs.
If you are looking for some additional living space for your home, a screened porch or sunroom may be a great place to look to expand. The two rooms can be very different, and you will need to really think through a few things before coming to a decision. For instance, what will you use it for? When will you use it? And how much do you want to spend?
Screened Porch vs. Sunroom
Purpose
As mentioned above either room will give you the additional living space you are looking for. The big difference between a screened in porch and a sunroom is how the walls are finished. A screened porch is a roofed structure that uses mesh screen for walls. The difference is that a screened porch will let air pass through the room, giving you the feeling of being outdoors while keeping out the bugs.
A sunroom is a roofed structure that is glass enclosed. A sunroom is more like your living room with a better view. Because it is enclosed, this will most likely lead to adding air conditioning for the summer months and heating for the winter months.
When
If the idea is to create extra living space and spend time outdoors, a screened porch is what you are looking for. In Delmarva, you will be able to take advantage of a screened porch from early March to late October. Of course, the beginning of spring and the end of fall will have chilly days and most nights will be too cold to stay outdoors comfortably. Outdoor heaters may be an easy solution to extending your enjoyment of your screened porch.
Adding a sunroom to your home is most likely with the thought of using it year-round. As mentioned before, to make that realistic you will have to add air conditioning and heat to stay comfortable. You can try to achieve the best of both worlds by making the glass interchangeable with screens and swap them in and out at different times of the year. Or you could have a four-track system installed when building the sunroom. This allows you to slide the windows up or down in different position depending on how much air you want to let in. This is a very nice feature, but it comes with a price.
Cost
As to which option is less expensive, by virtue of labor and materials alone a sunroom will be the more expensive way to go. Because it’s more like a finished room you may want tile floors, the four-track system for the walls that we mentioned earlier, and some kind of air conditioning and heat will most likely be needed. If it does become a heated space, depending on where you live it could be added to the square footage of your house and increase your taxes.
In a screened porch, you will not need to worry about heating or cooling as it is to be used only when the weather permits. Let your living room be your living room and let your porch be your porch. Enjoying time outdoors within the comfort of your own home shouldn’t have to cost a fortune.
Is a Screened Porch or Sunroom Right for You?
With a screened porch, the living room is inside the house and the porch is outside the house. It makes it a little more special when you can entertain friends outside on a warm summer night. Or not have to stay inside to watch football on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in October. A sunroom allows you and your family to add additional living space. This additional space brings more enjoyment year-round, without having to worry about rain or other elements.
Although sunrooms are beautiful and serve a great purpose, a screened in porch is a better bargain from a financial standpoint and brings just as much enjoyment. It simply comes down to your preference and your needs.
GoGlass is an expert when it comes to screened porches and sunrooms. The dedicated team will offer you the best advice regarding residential, commercial & auto glass repair that meets your needs as well as your budget. Request a quote for glass and screen needs.