Budget-Friendly Ways To Keep Your Conservatory Cool
Having a conservatory can be a wonderful additional space in your home. Somewhere to enjoy the peace and quiet, looking out over the garden or perhaps reading a great book with a cuppa. However, in the summer months do you find yourself avoiding your conservatory because it becomes oppressively hot and resembles a sauna? If you dare to venture in on a sunny day do you feel like you’re frying like an egg?! Then it’s time to convert that extra space into a comfortable, functional room throughout the year. Even with limited funds, there are a number of ways you can keep your conservatory cool in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Go Bananas For Blinds
The most obvious option is blinds. They effectively shield your conservatory from the glare of the sun and have the added benefit of providing some privacy if you are overlooked. There is an enormous variety of stylish window and roof blinds to choose from to fit every budget. Whether it’s venetian, roller, printed or blackout blinds, just ensure if you’re fitting them yourself you measure correctly! If you’re not confident doing this, you can get get made-to-measure blinds which will be fitted for you. They will not only look stunning but provide maximum protection from those rays. Blinds have the added bonus of providing some insulation in the winter too.
Be A Fan of Fans
Installing a ceiling fan will help to keep your conservatory cool. If you keep the doors open to encourage air flow, the fan will keep the air moving, eliminating that stifling stagnant heat. It’s worth spending a little more and investing in a decent fan if you want to reap the benefits. Prices vary from under £100 to several hundred, so do some research and choose wisely.
Adding plants to absorb excess moisture keeps humidity levels down which makes for a more pleasant atmosphere. Also, choosing lightweight furniture and fabrics such as cotton can make the room more comfortable to use in those warmer months.
Amp Up The Air Conditioning
This option is a more expensive but highly effective method of cooling your conservatory. Air conditioning units can range from a few hundred to a few thousand pounds but they are worth the money. You are in total control of the temperature and some units can also offer a heating option for the colder winter months. You’ll need to choose the correct unit for your room size. For conservatories, it is advised to add 40% to your initial floor calculation of 100 watts/m sq, so if you’re considering investing, make sure you get the right unit for your space.
Cooling Film and Tinted Glazing
Replacing your glass with tinted windows is an effective approach to keep your conservatory cool, although again it can work out more expensive. The cost may run into several thousand pounds depending on the size of your conservatory. If your budget won’t stretch to this, you can opt for cooling film which adheres to your existing glass and helps to reflect most of the sun, as well as UV rays. This not only cools the room, but helps to prevent fading of your furniture too. It can cost as little as £12 per 50mm lengths but it may be worth getting the professionals to fit it as no one wants creases in their film!
Insulate To Invigorate
Companies now offer a conservatory insulation system which can reflect up to 98% of sunlight. It not only cools your room in the summer but efficiently insulates it in the winter too and helps shield against outside noise, including rain. It also reduces glare and sun bleaching and eliminates UV rays. The average cost supplied and fitted is £895-£1,850 according to checkatrade.com. If you opt for insulated roof panels, this is then a roof replacement and can cost anywhere between £2-£5,000.
Upgrade Your Roof
Lastly, and perhaps most expensively, you could choose to upgrade your existing roof. Replacing older polycarbonate roofs with a solid tiled option looks great and helps to add thermal insulation and reduce energy consumption. It keeps your conservatory at a comfortable temperature all year round, allowing you to utilise that space, whatever the weather. A tiled roof can cost between £4-6,000 depending on the size of your conservatory.
Whatever option you choose, you will reap the rewards throughout the hot summers and cooler winter months, wondering why on earth you didn’t do it sooner!!
