With the increasing demand for conservatories nowadays, a lot of companies are coming out with the latest technologies and energy saving equipment to help you keep your conservatory cool in summer. Conservatories are generally meant for relaxation and extra living space, but there are some things that you need to consider when setting up your conservatory in order to keep it cool in the hot months. If you are planning to spend considerable time in your conservatory, it would be wise to get a cooling system that will be able to maintain the temperature of the room.
The most common and basic thing that you need to do if you want to keep your conservatory cool during summer is to regulate the amount of sunlight that is entering the room. For those who have curtains, blinds or other window treatments on their conservatory, it would be easier to regulate the amount of heat entering your conservatory as they allow a certain amount of light into the conservatory. If you want to keep your conservatory cool in summer, you should get blackout blinds or curtains so that the heat will not enter your conservatory. The type of window choice also plays an important role. For Double Glazing Gloucester, visit https://www.firmfix.co.uk/
Regulating the temperature in your conservatory is essential for comfort and you will know that it is working properly as you’ll be able to use the conservatory even in the heat of a summer’s day. It is important that you learn how to keep your conservatory cool in summer especially if you want it to last for a long time.
Renovation ideas for a year round conservatory
Keeping a conservatory comfortable starts with the structure. Good insulation means the room can be used all year round, and replacing the glass with a more modern type helps it hold heat in winter while reflecting heat away in warmer weather, so the room is less prone to sudden temperature swings.
Replacing the roof is probably the most cost effective way to transform a tired conservatory, and it improves thermal efficiency at the same time. Skylights can make the room feel larger and bring a sense of the outdoors inside.
Layout matters too. Opening the conservatory up to the rest of the house makes the home feel bigger, and bi-folding doors create a strong link to the garden in summer, ideal when hosting friends. Finally, a fresh coat of decoration, some unique artwork or a television can turn the space into a room that feels inviting and genuinely lived in. A well renovated conservatory can also add value to a house.
Windows, blinds, air conditioning or a new roof
Opening the windows sounds obvious, but timing matters. On a hot day with a cool breeze, open up to let air flow through the conservatory and into the house. When it is hot and humid, keeping windows and doors shut is often better, because opening them just lets more warm, sticky air in. If the windows themselves are old, more energy efficient glazing can help.
Internal blinds are a quick, fairly cheap fix that blocks direct sun and keeps the room shady, and they can add to the decor too. At the other end of the scale, air conditioning costs more to buy, install and run, but it is very effective and keeps the room comfortable on the hottest days.
If the conservatory was built some years ago, its energy ratings may be well behind current standards. A replacement roof can greatly improve efficiency and may solve overheating for good, so it is worth having an installer assess it.
Insulation that helps all year round
The same measures that keep a conservatory cool in summer also keep it warmer in winter. Most of the trouble comes from the roof, which is often made of polycarbonate. It traps heat in summer and lets it escape in winter, and close to a quarter of a conservatory’s heat loss can be through the roof.
Replacing an older polycarbonate roof with modern, more efficient glass panels is the most effective option, but also the most expensive. A cheaper route is to add an extra layer of polycarbonate or foil, fixed with double sided tape. Cutting the pieces to the right shape can be fiddly, but it adds insulation and reduces summer heat as well.
Window dressings help too. There is a wide choice of thermal, reflective and blackout curtains and blinds, and fitting blinds to the roof as well as the windows adds shade from the sun, extra insulation and a more finished look.