Conservatories, Sunrooms - Your questions Answered
Miscellaneous USA/Canada

Please note: Most of the answers we feature here are from 1999 - early 2002. We endeavour to keep all links etc up to date, however if you spot any errors please let our webmaster know at It should also be noted that some replies may change in light of changes to legislation especially with regards to Planning Permission and Building Regulations. To submit a new question or to query an existing question visit http://www.ask-questions.com/yabbse/index.php.

Ref:20
Question submitted by Ken

We plan on constructing home near Salinas, Ca. The home selected has a covered patio which is part of the main house. Would it be feasible to cover this area with translucent panels instead of regular roofing? Could you provide the name of Manufactures of these panels? thanks.

This question answered by Chris Edwards of Classic Conservatories - What it sounds like you are talking about is a carport. If it is then you could use corrugated plastic which is similar to traditional corrugated iron and comes in a variety of translucent colors. Corrugated plastic is easy to erect and is readily available at most local builder supply stores. If you are looking to construct a more substantial room, please contact Sonny at 800-694-8457. You may also find the following links of assistance..... http://www.sundancesupply.com and http://www.h2othouse.com

For a pool enclosure what type of conservatory do you recommend and what special features do you recommend to handle the humidity of the pool.

This question answered by Chris Edwards of Classic Conservatories - Since most conservatories built are for year round living, you should consider your budget for the project. It is likely that to cover a relatively small pool would cost in excess of $100,000 excluding the pool. Some companies offering the most sophisticated structures, which can include an electrically operated opening roof, have a reported starting price of $250,000. You should be particularly concerned about chemicals in the water eroding the framing material of the structure. High quality hardwood is the least likely to corrode but one of the most expensive choices to buy and maintain. Steel can increase the possibility of condensation in the environment because of the thermal properties of the frame. Aluminum is thermally efficient and if coated with the appropriate finish is unlikely to corrode. However, it is aesthetically the least appealing. PVCu in combination with structural aluminum or steel reinforcement is thermally efficient, maintenance free, and aesthetically versatile. All covers of this nature will require the appropriate vent system to minimize humidity and maintain a comfortable interior. You may find the following link of assistance also. http://www.omegapoolstructures.com

I have wood cased aluminium clad windows with insulated Approx 1/2" Some of the glass is starting to fog up and I would like to replace the glass with some that have micro blinds in them. Is this possible. Also on my atrium style doors. Thanks

This question answered by Chris Edwards of Classic Conservatories - Micro blinds within glass units are a system provided by Pella Windows. The frame of the window holding the glass assists the function of the micro blind, therefore, you would need to change the complete window including the frame. In the long-term, this would be the best investment. You can visit their web site for more information and a list of suppliers in your area. (USA only) http://www.pella.com/products/default.asp?userType=remodeler

Ref:17
Question submitted by David

My wife and are about to build a new home and want to have a sunroom on the back of it. The house will be situated lengthwise basically east to west, although there is some room for tilting it more toward the north or south. What is the best way to situate the house in order to maximize the benefits of the sunroom?

This question answered by Chris Edwards of Classic Conservatories - The ideal location for a sunroom is dependent on the style of room, your budget, and the primary use of the room. For example a sunroom being used for a breakfast room with a translucent roof would benefit from an eastern exposure. A room to entertain in the evening that had a solid roof might be best located on a western facing wall. If you would like a more specific answer to your question, please indicate to us your intended use and style of room you may be interested in. Feel free to post a follow up question if you wish.

I would like to add a conservatory onto our kitchen. We have an "L" shaped house and the addition would have to be right in that inner 90 degree angle. Therefore, we have two roof pitches and low eaves to deal with. Is there any way we could successfully add a conservatory and NOT have disastrous leaks with all of the rain water coming from different directions and meeting in the same place? I hope I made myself clear in describing our dilemma. My husband seems to think that there is no way to work around it. I'm hoping the experts can tell me differently! Thanks so much!

This question answered by Chris Edwards of Classic Conservatories - For the purpose of a prompt answer and because of your comment of low eaves, we will presume your property is a ranch style. There are, in fact, two solutions to your dilemma, one being more desirable than the other. The first would include building a cricket or small dormer for the conservatory to butt against at the back, and, use a parallel box gutter running between the property roof and conservatory roof. This will allow water from the valley created to drain away in a manner that would avoid water retention adjacent to the foundation of the property. Alternatively where there is an eave overhang on both of the interior facets of an "L" shaped building. You could construct a square ended conservatory with a parallel box gutter which is "L" shaped to match the building. On the short side at the back of the conservatory the hip would be reversed so the water draining from the conservatory and property roof would be diverted to avoid water retention adjacent to the foundation of the property.

Ref:15
Question submitted by Solution Seeker

We are getting ready to put in an offer to buy a house that backed against a busy freeway. The house is a custom home with plenty to offer. The only drawback is the high level of noise when you step out to the backyard. It is almost unbearable. I was wondering if we could build a sunroom that can shield off the noise from speeding traffic on the freeway?

This question answered by Chris Edwards of Classic Conservatories - A sunroom will reduce some noise. Unfortunately however, there is no truly effective way of insulating road noise in a dwelling or sunroom. In face, some noise can be the result of vibration through the structure, depending on proximity. A simple and low-cost method of reducing noise pollution outside of building a room, could be a screen or series of screens of trees, depending upon the amount of property between the dwelling and the road. The trees would need to be evergreens or conifers with dense foliage to be most effective and perform year round, which will also add to your privacy. If you then build a room and use a frame construction with dense insulation within and install triple-pane windows, this will further insulate from sound.

Ref:14
Question submitted by Sela

I need to have a custom skylight made for a sunroom I am building. I need to find some suppliers in the Midwest, USA.

This question answered by Chris Edwards of Classic Conservatories - Presumably the sunroom you are building has a translucent roof which would require an opening skylight for ventilation. Since virtually all skylights come in standard sizes, it would be advisable to frame the roof in a fashion that will support a standard sized operating unit. (Velux is considered to be one of the better manufacturers and is available through most major materials suppliers.) Alternatively, if customization is essential, there is a custom maker in the northeast that will ship anywhere in the world. They will produce the skylights in copper or aluminum externally and wood internally. The unit can be opened or fixed and glazed with glass or translucent acrylic. (Prices range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars - dependant on size and features.) E-mail total720@aol.com for pricing and shipping information. Other suppliers for custom skylights on the web include http://www.e-skylight.com/ and http://www.supersky.com/

Ref:13
Question submitted by Tom

I'm looking for any information on my sunroom kit made by "The English Greenhouse Co." in the mid 1980s. I bought and disassembled it and now need plans or any other information to submit to the building inspector. The kit is very similar to the Four Seasons structures. Any ideas?

This Question answered by Tina Dunlop - I was not too confident of answering this question. Fortunately however our friend Scott Reynolds at http://www.glassstructures.com/ was familiar with this product. His company have the sill details, corner details, wall connections, horizontal muntin details, ridge details, vertical gable bar details, a spec data sheet, and some line drawing prints for the English greenhouse. The cost of reprinting this material in black and white is $45.00. Should you have any other questions, feel free to contact him on (508) 877-6457

Ref:12
Question submitted by Derek

I have been shopping for a sunroom wall to enclose my U shaped patio. I only need front wall. My house tile roof extends out to cover the patio right now. This front wall will be all glass, including the kick pane. Some sunroom guys show me 2", 3" and 3" thermal broken walling. I really would prefer the whole wall to be glass. Should I consider the thermal broken walling instead of the glass. Should I go for the thermal broken aluminum frame? It costs a lot more.

This question answered by Chris Edwards of Classic Conservatories - The 2" & 3" wall I believe refers to styrofoam coated by aluminum. This effectively acts as a thermal break. This application would not apply if you require a glass to ground finished enclosure. A thermal pane will act as an effective thermal break. As you live in Southern CA - dependent on the exposure, the addition of a low e/argon filled sealed units to your glass package will enhance the enclosed living space (An even more effective thermal break). With respect to the frame of the glass wall, it would be advisable to purchase a thermally efficient product. Thermally broken aluminum is the traditional option, however, PVCu is the accepted new alternative and may possibly be a little less costly

Ref:11
Question submitted by Barbara

I'm planning a Pool Enclosure style conservatory. I will use radiant heat in the tiled floor for this conservatory as well as the room to which it attaches.

Is it true, as someone has offhandedly told me, the temperature of the room must be 2 degrees warmer than the temperature of the pool or else it starts to 'rain' in the conservatory?

The glass roof on the conservatory will be fitted with some vents as well as one with some kind of humidity removal equipment.

I live in a climate in the northeast where the weather can go down to below zero in winter, coldest I recall is -16 degrees, while in summer it is frequently in the 90's and can hit 100 degrees. I was also planning to have air conditioning. Double glass has been suggested with argon gas, though I understand Krypton is more dense. Some manufacturers don't seem to use Kryton. Any comments on anything mentioned would be appreciated.

This question answered by Robert Ottaway of Westview products - The "rain" in your sunroom and the 2 degree difference is news to me. There is moisture condensation on any glass window because the temperature of the glass is colder than the temperature inside the room. You eliminate this in normal living spaces by the air movement from your heating system. In a pool room in a cold winter climate with a radiant heat system in your floor, you will have condensation. I would suggest a ceiling fan / extraction system or some other way to create air movement to minimize the condensation on the glass. Regarding your choice of glass. The insulation value of glass is a measurement of how much heat is transferred through the glass, or U Value. A standard 1" thick glass panel, (two pieces of glass with an air space in the middle) with clear glass and just air as an insulator has a U-Value of .50. If you add a Low E coating to one of the glass panels the U-Value is .40. If you add Argon to the Low E the U-Value is .37. Krypton gas would probably lower the U-Value slightly but the difference would be so slight for the added cost it would not be worth it. In other words the savings in heating the room would be not be significant. Also for the record you may be better off in my opinion with an aluminium structure. Also your idea of installing Air Conditioning and humidity removal equipment is good.