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Print ArticleThere are more things to consider for a homeowner when choosing the right sunroom besides the number of windows or the architectural look to the room. In the northern United States and Canada it might be better to consider a solarium that allows more light in, keeping it warmer in the winter. In the Southern part of the country, it is probably best to consider a sunroom that has a hard roof that can block out a lot of the hot mid-day heat from the sun.
Some companies offer PVC frames that have better survival rates in extreme weather conditions while other companies might use treated wood frames. There is also the option of single- or double-glazed windows that can make a difference in how efficient the room is and for how long it can be used throughout the year. Solariums can be used more for more year-round use and come in curved or straight eaves. These have a roofing system and walls of glass, but are only suggested for Northern areas of the United States were the winters might be milder because all glass rooms can collapse or weaken from years of heavy snowfall. On the other hand, a hard roof sunroom can be made to match the rest of the home’s exterior and tends to stand up better to those heavy snows.
For a remodeler the choice is yours to go with a company that will install the sunroom, send you the kit to install yourself or even choose to become a dealer for an added product offering. Be aware though that each state has a different building code it has adopted as a standard for sunrooms and it is best to check with the local municipality to see which editions of the code they enforce. Some states are relying on the 2000 or 2003 editions of the IRC or IBC codes while others are working to embrace the 2006 version of the IBC.
A great source of information concerning sunrooms can be obtained from the National Sunroom Association. Headquartered in Cleveland, the NSA is a member-directed trade association dedicated to the advancement of the manufacture and construction of safe, energy-efficient and environmentally conscious sunrooms, patio rooms and solariums. The NSA holds or supports several events, meetings and speakers to keep up on codes, news, technology and standards affecting the sunroom industry. This includes structural materials and window choices for sunrooms.
As more homeowners look to expand their living space and outdoor living becomes an increasing bigger standard in the United States, sunrooms are nothing to overlook in a remodeling business. Sunrooms can be a great investment for homeowners where the national return on investment is 66.3 percent of the original investment back upon resale of their home. This average can of course be higher or lower depending on the region of the country.
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Temo Sunrooms’ new line of hurricane-strong all-thermal sunrooms features 3 5/8-in. insulated walls with thermal break option and 3/3-in. IG thermally broken sash for exceptional climate control. Temo’s new system passes AMMA Gold Label and Florida Product Approval testing and withstands Category 4 hurricane wind speeds of up to 146 mph.
Temo Sunrooms. Indicate #82 on e-Inquiry |
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Gorell Grand Additions presents its new line of room additions. This line includes three sunroom styles: all-vinyl American Conservatory Series rooms, vinyl-wall Presidential Series systems and standard aluminum-wall U.S. Series sunrooms. American Conservatory and Presidential Series both feature 7/8-in. double-insulating tempered safety glass.
Gorell Grand Additions. Indicate #83 on e-Inquiry |
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Four Seasons Sunrooms feature hundreds of styles of additions, including straight eaves, curved eaves, solid roofs, glass roofs, great rooms and English-style conservatories. Four Seasons designs, builds and ships its products from its headquarters and manufacturing facility directly to the site.
Four Seasons Sunrooms.Indicate #84 on e-Inquiry |
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New England Conservatories provide custom shaped solariums individually designed to fit the home needs and wants. They also offer numerous standard solariums including lean-to, double-pitch, gazebo, hip end, lean-to with a dormer and double pitch with a dormer. New England Conservatories’ lean-to and double-pitch solariums are available with either a curved or straight eave.
New England Conservatories.Indicate #85 on e-Inquiry |
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Screen+Plus screen inserts from Artistic Enclosures feature solid cedar construction with the screening mounted into a special groove for easy repair. A built-in 6-in. guardrail above the optional fixed tempered safety glass, fixed Acrylic or T&G cedar bottom can meet IBC/IRC and BOCA requirements for fall-out protection. All Screen+Plus inserts are custom fabricted.
Artistic Enclosures.Indicate #86 on e-Inquiry |
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Suntarra Sunrooms’ Vinyl All-Season Sunrooms feature post and beam construction, vinyl clad aircraft grade aluminum framing system and a patented automotive grade nylon connection system that eliminates the effects of expansion and contraction. Components are precut at the factory with flexible component manufacturing allowing virtually unlimited design options.
Suntarra Sunrooms. Indicate #87 on e-Inquiry |
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Patio Enclosures, Inc. offers all-glass solariums with an open glass environment to benefit from the sun’s natural light and warmth. Patio Enclousures offer two solarium styles for homeowners to select from, the Straight-Eave Solarium and Curved-Eave Solarium. All solariums can come with a heating/air-conditioning system for added comfort throughout the year.
Patio Enclosures, Inc.Indicate #88 on e-Inquiry |
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Craft-Bilt Mfg.’s Betterliving Patio Rooms has introduced a year-round vinyl sunroom. It features aluminum and steel reinforced vinyl construction for structural integrity and thermal efficiency. Other features include argon-filled, Low-E double-pane tempered glass on all windows and doors, floor leveling to allow installation on most existing decks or patios and a rugged 4 3/16-in. wall system.
Craft-Bilt Mfg. Indicate #89 on e-Inquiry |
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Specifically designed for the sunroom industry, Admiral Sunrooms’ revolutionary software is able to keep track of leads, create 3-D sunroom prototypes, price out jobs, process orders and ultimately will facilitate engineering packages for permit processing. With the ability to generate a 3-D virtual model of a sunroom on the back of a customer’s actual home, clients can visualize exactly what their custom designed sunroom will look like.
Admiral Sunrooms. Indicate #90 on e-Inquiry |
