Sunroom Questions

Hi All,

I recently purchased a new home with a sunroom attached. I am assuming it is a 3 season sunroom based on reading about them. It is too hot to use in the summer - and too cold in the winter/spring/fall. I am looking for suggestions on how to makes this space more usable. Is it possible to turn it into a 4 season sunroom with out tearing down and rebuilding? Should I plan to just tear down and rebuild? Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forums!

I can't see that room being anything but what it is, there really isn't any way to add insulation. To turn the space into year round living would require tearing it down and starting over. You'd want thicker walls, a roof that allows for some attic space and more insulation [if it currently has any] maybe even add some insulation under the flooring.

 

I would agree with that assessment. The cement pad isn't insulated... the walls are thin (likely 2" EPS foam filled), the glass is probably single pane. I used to build rooms like that, except I haven't seen a roof like that... what is that, a woodgrain w-pan metal roof? We used 4" insulated foam roofs (flat on both sides) w/annealed aluminum. Yours would be impossible to insulate.

We used to put electric heat/air conditioning wall units in our 3 season rooms and people thought they were very comfortable most of the year... and were only cold on the coldest of winter days. That would probably be your only option at this point... and it would not be very energy efficient if you wanted to use the room 100% of the time.

 

For the summer, perhaps install a solar attic fan to draw out the hot air?

 

Thanks for the warm welcome! and, total bummer. Yes, it is a metal wavy ceiling and a flat aluminum? roof. In between the ceiling and roof sounds like it is currently home to several sparrows, so I'd assume there is little to no insulation. I don't think a ceiling fan is an option with the current ceiling. Also, yes, single pane glass windows and probably no insulation inside the metal walls. I have several possible projects, so maybe this one should wait until last. I've lived here for a year exactly, so I've experienced each season here. I've found the room comfortable for about 2 weeks out of the whole year. I'm having a difficult time understanding how the previous owner ever made use of this room.

 

That's probably styrofoam expanding/contracting. Around here they have problems with the Drivet covered houses [over styrofoam] the wood peckers think it's bugs behind the stucco and try to get to them

Open windows and fans ??

 

It would be considered an enclosure, one step above a screen room. Non insulated anything. If your roof is flat on top, someone probably added that part.
It is aluminum and when you tear it down you can recycle it. It could be replaced by a 4" insulated roof at about $15/sf and add 4" insulated walls at about $275/lf. A 12x20 would run you about 16-17K for materials.
The good thing is you could install it again right where the old enclosure is and have the whole thing done in about three days.