Enjoy the Outdoors Longer with a Custom Four-Season Room

You love the outdoors, but you live in an area with scalding summers and freezing winters. The times during the year when it’s pleasant to sit outside may not be as much as you hope, not to mention that the outdoors can come with annoyances, like bugs, wet seating, and extreme temperatures. Adding on a screened porch, sunroom, or four-season room can allow you to enjoy the outdoors for much longer. When comparing options, a four-season room offers the maximum enjoyment benefits.

What is a Four-Season Room?

A sunroom or screened porch is typically a room filled with windows and offering access to the outdoors, while still providing protection from the elements. In most sunrooms, three of the walls will be filled with windows, screens, or a combination of both, allowing you to enjoy the outdoors without necessarily being outdoors. Historically, sunrooms have either been used primarily in regions where the weather allows for year-round use or they have been closed off during the winter.

A four-season room offers all the benefits of a sunroom or screened porch while being designed to function all year, even in regions with harsh winters. Instead of closing off the room when the weather gets chilly and snowy, winterization and insulation will allow homeowners to enjoy the room even during the harshest winter. The focus on natural light and air remains the most important feature, even with winterization.

Benefits of a Four-Season Room

For those who like to enjoy the outdoors without dealing with extreme temperatures, bugs, or weather concerns, a four-season room can be the perfect space. You can regulate the temperature and still enjoy all the natural light. A four-season room can also be versatile as the needs of your family change. Many homeowners will use it as a dining room, some choose to use it as a home office, some will use it as a reading or sewing space, and some homeowners just like the idea of another family room. Many homeowners who enjoy gardening will keep their indoor plants in a four-season room for maximum sunlight, while still able to regulate the temperature. Because the space is well-insulated and climate-controlled, it’s incredibly versatile.

Four-Season Rooms are More Than Just Sunrooms

A screened porch is just that – an outdoor space (porch) that has a ceiling and screened windows. You’ll be in the shade and protected from the rain, but the room is not temperature-controlled and is essentially an outdoor space with some indoor elements, like electricity. A sunroom usually has glass windows in addition to screens, and is more of an “indoor” space with the feel of the outdoors. Both a sunroom and a four-season room will be physically and electrically connected to your home. However, most sunrooms are not connected to the HVAC system, as they are designed to be at least partially “open” to the outdoors. A four-season room takes that connection to the home to the next level, with the same level of insulation and connection to the HVAC system that any other interior room has, with just the added benefit of extra natural light.

Converting a Sunroom into a Four-Season Room

If you already have a sunroom or screened porch, converting that space into a four-season room is a straightforward process. Your contractor will look at your current system and determine the best way to connect the HVAC. Depending on the capacity of your current system, you may need to upgrade or install a separate unit for the room. Your contractor will spend time inspecting the windows and insulation, and plan to upgrade as needed. In most cases, you will need to replace the current windows with energy-efficient and insulated glass and add additional insulation to the exterior walls. Foam and fiberglass insulation are both efficient for climate control and will help prevent moisture.

While not as big of an investment as installing a new four-season room, which can be a significant upfront cost, converting a sunroom can be more expensive than many homeowners think. However, it’s important to note the long-term value of this investment and the advantages that an additional four-season room can come with, including the resale value and attractiveness of your home to future buyers.

Customization Can Take Your Space to the Next Level

There are many ways to customize the space. French doors along one wall will give you all the advantages of floor-to-ceiling windows, while also allowing for a direct exit into your garden and outdoor spaces. Having screens in your windows allows you to use the room as a screened porch when the weather is cooperating, but close off with the glass windows when the weather turns cold. Skylights can allow for even more natural light and can be propped open for more air when weather permits. To create a cozy feel in the winter, many homeowners will install a fireplace, watching the snow fall while staying warm. There are many different options that your contractor can suggest for the best options in your climate and for your plans to make the best use of the room.

A sunroom or screened porch is nice when the weather is good, but if you live in a climate with all four seasons, a four-season room gives you all the benefits of that outdoor enjoyment without a limited time. If you already have the space, converting an existing screened porch or sunroom gives you considerably more use for a relatively small investment.

Ready to enjoy your space year-round? Contact Total Quality Construction to design or upgrade your four-season room, and make every season your favorite.