In these days of very hot summer days the issue of climate control for your conservatory is too often overlooked when making a purchasing decision, resulting in an extension to your living space that cannot be used all year round. In our quest to find a bargain price conservatory we are often driven by price alone rather than studying the benefits that the purchase will bring us. If you don't consider the important issue of climate control at the planning stage you could find that your new conservatory is uncomfortable to sit in on a hot summer's day because the temperature inside could easily exceed 100 degrees. If you want your new conservatory to act as a year round extension to your home it is very important to consider how the climate will be controlled inside the conservatory ensuring that you will be able to use it throughout the year. This is especially important if your conservatory is south facing as it will endure long hours of constant direct sunlight during the summer. Choose the wrong type of conservatory roof glazing and it could limit it's use during the most important months of the year. Polycarbonate roof glazing is still the major choice for most purchasers mainly because of the considerable savings in cost when compared to glass and recent innovations such as Heatguard polycarbonate have improved the efficiency of polycarbonate to reduce solar gain from the sun. Heatguard has a reflective coating on the external surface to help prevent direct sunlight penetration and an opal finish internally. It allows light to enter the roof but deflects solar radiation by up to 50% compared to other polycarbonates. With most polycarbonate conservatory roofs now using 35mm thick material noise and insulation benefits have improved over previous thinner material but if your property suffers from heavy traffic noise or you want to enjoy your conservatory when it's raining, polycarbonate roof glazing is not recommended. A glass roof for your new conservatory will reduce noise levels by as much as 100% over polycarbonate and depending on the specification of the sealed units, will substantially improve insulation values. If your budget will stretch to a glass conservatory roof then you should also consider the latest innovation, a solar control glass roof. Specifically designed to provide the optimum roof glazing solution for conservatories, solar control glass is generally supplied with a blue tint and is also available with self cleaning or easy clean coatings to the external surface. The unique blue colour also helps keep the internal temperature of the conservatory cooler by reflecting solar radiation by as much as 72% whilst still maintaining excellent light transmittance. Adding opening roof vents will also help ensure a free flow of air to the conservatory roof space helping to reduce any heat build-up. Roof vents are available in manual, electric remote control or automatic rain sensor versions. At ground level, consider installing an air conditioning unit for the ultimate climate control option. There are many versions to choose from including dwarf wall models that can be built in as you construct your conservatory base. Normally operated by a remote control handset, the latest models are very quiet and also provide background heating for the colder months of the year. All of these options of course will ultimately add costs to your new conservatory and you will need to consider which are the most important and relevant to your conservatory style and location. Whether you are considering a self build conservatory or a fully installed one, before making such an important buying decision, think carefully about what your conservatory is likely to be used for and if, like most people, you want to use it throughout the year then make sure you consider how the climate will be controlled before buying. Unfortunately, not all conservatory suppliers will remind you of these points and today's cheap conservatory bargain could turn into tomorrow's hot house as soon as the sun comes out. |
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