Having a conservatory built is a great way to extend the usable space available in your home, as well as adding value to the property should you ever want to sell it. It acts as a portal, connecting your home with your garden, and providing the perfect space in which to relax, enjoy your garden, and feel closer to nature. On a hot summer’s day, there’s nothing nicer than opening the French windows and sitting in your conservatory with a good book, or inviting friends and family over to share a barbecue.
However, for many homeowners, the enjoyment of their conservatory tends to peak in the spring and summer months, and the room can become somewhat neglected once the nights draw in and the temperature begins to drop. Why invest all that money in a beautiful conservatory, just to use it for a few months each year?
If your conservatory feels too cold and uninviting during autumn and winter, here are some great ways that you can make it feel warm and cosy and to ensure that it gets used all year round…
Radiators
If you already have central heating in your home, why not contact a local plumber and get a quote for extending it into your conservatory? The addition of a radiator can make it really easy to warm the room up, ensuring it is cosy even on the coldest of days. If you are worried that a radiator might look bulky and unsightly, opt for a streamlined one instead that can become a feature of the room; or conceal it with a vented radiator cover that you can paint to match the existing decor.
Portable Heater
If having your central heating system extended to add a radiator to your conservatory is not an option, a standalone portable heater will do the job almost as well. Fan heaters are the cheapest option, and they do heat a room up fairly quickly. However, they work by blowing hot air into the room to circulate, so once they are switched off the air will start to cool again, and fan heaters can be quite noisy and intrusive. If you’re looking for a quieter alternative, opt for a gas-filled standalone radiator. They take a little longer to heat up, but provide powerful and consistent heating to a room, similar to a fixed radiator.
Insulation
It’s all well and good generating heat via your central heating or a portable radiator, but if your conservatory is not adequately insulated, most of the heat will be lost. This will mean that you’ll need to have the heating turned on for a longer period, thus costing you more in energy bills. By investing in some insulation methods, you could save money on your gas and electricity, as well as help reduce your carbon footprint. Check for any areas where draughts could occur, such as cracks in window frames, and have any holes filled in and resealed. If cold air can come in under the door, a draught excluder can help the room to feel warmer.
Under-floor Heating
If you don’t have the space in your conservatory to dedicate to a permanent wall radiator, and you don’t want to rely on a portable heater, you might wish to consider under-floor heating. Pipes are laid underneath screed flooring, and water runs through the pipes to heat them; the heat transfers up through the floor, providing even heating for your conservatory. Under-floor heating can be installed independent of your central heating system, meaning that it will have its own control panel and thermostat, so you only need to turn it on when you want to use your conservatory.
Air conditioning System
When people hear the words ‘air conditioning’, they tend to think of cold air; however, an air conditioning unit can actually heat a room as well as cooling it. Installing an air con unit in your conservatory can help you keep it warm and cosy during the winter, and it will keep you cool during the summer, so it’s the best of both worlds.
Curtains and Blinds
Conservatories are typically made up of a series of glass panels, which is great in the summer because they let in lots of natural light. However, during the winter, a lot of heat can escape through the windows, making the conservatory feel quite cold at times. Fitting some long, thick curtains, or some Roman or Venetian blinds can help to insulate the glazing and keep the precious heat in the room. Curtains or blinds can also help to add some privacy to your conservatory.
Rugs
It’s very rare to find a carpeted conservatory; more often than not, they are fitted with concrete, stone, tiled, or wooden flooring. These types of flooring are great in the summer as they are cold underfoot, but in the winter, they can make the conservatory feel even chillier. Having the carpet fitted in your conservatory just for the colder months is not really practical, so the next best thing is to lay a rug down on the floor. Not only will it feel warmer and cosier underfoot, but it will also add a layer of insulation, helping to keep the heat in the room.
Furniture
Lightweight furniture such as wicker and bamboo chairs and tables are great during the summer months, but they just don’t have that cosy, comfortable feeling that you crave in the winter. If you have the space to store your summer furniture for a few months, replacing them with an armchair or fabric sofa can provide the space you need for relaxing and enjoying your conservatory during the winter.
Throws and Cushions
If new furniture is not an option for you, the addition of throws and cushions can help to transform your conservatory into a winter sanctuary. Chunky woollen blankets draped over your existing chairs and wicker sofas can help them to feel warmer and more comfortable, allowing you to curl up with a good book and a hot chocolate in your conservatory. Cushions also add an extra layer of comfort to your existing furniture and can help to make the room feel warmer and more inviting.
Lighting
During the summer months, you can rely on sunlight to keep your conservatory well-lit well into the evening. However, during the winter, the sun can set as early as 4pm, and dull weather can make your home feel much darker too. Invest in some lamps and candles to create some mood lighting in your conservatory, enabling you to relax and unwind without it being too intrusive to whatever activity you might be doing.
Storage
If you don’t want to use your conservatory for relaxing or entertaining during the winter months, then use it for storage instead. The average conservatory can reach temperatures as cold as a fridge during the winter, if no effort has been made to warm them up. Why not make good use of these fridge-like temperatures and use your conservatory to store things like fruits and vegetables, so that they don’t take up room in your actual fridge and they won’t spoil too quickly!
DISCLAIMER: The information and views set out in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the MyCity-Web collective. This is a contributed article via our Submit Post Page and should be viewed as such.