Benefits of a Sunroom

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Imagine that you are enjoying the outdoors; the birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and you are sipping on a cup of coffee or tea while reading a book. This is the ideal environment to relax in until the wind blows the pages of your book or the bugs are buzzing in your ear. The most effective way to solve these annoyances is installing a sunroom. You will know your investment was worth it when you can enjoy the tranquility of a peaceful, quiet environment while appreciating the beauty of your backyard. Also, sunrooms are great because they do much more than most people expect. Benefits of having a sunroom vary from person to person, but there are noticeable common benefits of investing in a sunroom. A few of these benefits include increasing your real estate value, brightening up your home, potentially reducing your electric bill, and providing a great deal of health benefits.

 

Sunrooms are more cost-effective than traditional additions and have the potential to provide much more benefit. Sunrooms add vast amounts of openness and visibility to your space while also adding functionality. They are also easier to maintain due to the materials used and, like traditional additions, increase your real estate value. The added square footage and additional sunlight will not only grab future buyers’ attention but also add functionality and monetary value that will put your investment back into your pocket.

 

Florida summers are hot and bright, but this does not have to be a bad thing. Having a sunroom brightens up your space with sunshine while providing relief from the heat from outside. Growing up in Tallahassee, I have experienced the beauty of brightening your home with natural sunlight. You could install dozens of light sources, but artificial light may increase your utility bill. Therefore, unless you live in a completely energy efficient home, you would probably dread looking at your electricity bill, or you could utilize free, natural light to brighten up the space. Sunrooms are the ultimate way to bring natural light into your home, allowing you to reduce the use of artificial lights. Depending on where your sunroom is located, you could have light throughout your entire house. My sunroom brightened my dining room, kitchen, living room, and foyer!

 

Natural sunlight can boost your mood and increase your overall health. In today’s world, we are all stressed and busy one way or another. Natural light is one of the leading aids in boosting moods. Having a sunroom may help with counteracting negative thoughts, improving your mood, and sustaining a positive attitude throughout the day. It is important to have an outlet to help you relax and de-stress because stress affects how our body functions. You could turn your sunroom into an oasis to relax in at the end of the day or your new at-home office to help keep you relaxed throughout your work day.

 

There are two types of sunrooms worth discussing, three-season and four-season sunrooms. Three-season sunrooms are designed to be occupied during the spring, summer, and fall. These sunrooms tend to use less expensive and lightweight materials that work to let in sunlight and keep out wind and rain. They also provide shade from the direct sun and offer some cooling during hot summer days. These rooms are not normally insulated, but they might have fans to circulate air. The lower costs of installation make it a great opportunity for someone on a budget or if utilizing the room year-round is not on your must-have list. Four-season sunrooms go a step further with stronger thermal resistance and insulation capacity. Most of the time four-season sunrooms have heating and air conditioning, which is why they are more expensive than three-season sunrooms. While showing in its product and design, the added complexity with four-season sunrooms requires more time and materials to install, hence the larger price tag. However, it is important to understand that sunrooms are not greenhouses; they are designed to control sunlight where direct heat is shaded from the interior unlike greenhouses which are encouraged to trap the sunlight inside. Both types of sunrooms will allow you to enjoy the serenity of the outdoors while avoiding the annoyances of being outside.

 

To conclude, sunrooms have immense benefits and will almost always provide a return on investment. Designed to brighten up your home, sunrooms can increase your house’s real estate value, potentially lower electricity bills, and boost your mood and health. So, stay protected, reduce stress, and enjoy the great outdoors. Next time you are drinking your coffee or reading outside and bugs are bothering you, think about how a sunroom would enhance your entire experience; it will be the most popular room in the house!   

 

Rylee Copeland

Home & Yard Magazine