How to Choose Between Sunrooms and Screen Rooms

Posted: Jul 14, 2014
Author: G&S Contracting, Inc.

As your family grows, you may look to increase living space by building on an addition to your home. If you have considered doing this, you may have thought about two options – sunrooms and screen rooms. Although occasionally you will see these terms used interchangeably, in reality they are quite different. Deciding between sunrooms and screen rooms will depend upon how you plan to use the room and whether you want to use it part of the year or all year long.

• Sunrooms – Sunrooms are built with glass windows. Generally, these windows are typical home windows that are able to be opened and closed. You can choose from a number of different types of windows, however, including large picture windows, specialty shape windows, double-hung windows, slider windows and more. Sunrooms are built to handle wind pressure. You might choose sunrooms because you plan to use the room all year long, although since they generally do not have duct work from your heating and cooling system, you may need to use a space heater in the winter. Alternatively, some families opt to use their sunrooms just three seasons of the year. You can opt for extra insulation to make the room more comfortable.

• Screen Rooms – Screen rooms are built with just screens, so they allow wind to pass through the room. This type of room is more susceptible to the elements and thus is not able to be used all year long. Care must be taken when having screen rooms because moisture can be detrimental to some materials. For example, you will want flooring that can handle water; thus, carpeting is not a good option.

At G&S Contracting, Inc., we are happy to meet with you to discuss the advantages of screen rooms and sunrooms to help you decide which will be the best option for your Mooresville, NC home. We can also do a combo project, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds. We have been helping families expand their homes for over 30 years, so we have the expertise to create the ideal space for you.