A sunroom addition is be a great way to add more space to your home for your family, pets, and friends, all while enjoying nature’s views. If you’re thinking about adding a sunroom addition to your home, it’s vital first to understand the difference between 4-season and 3-season rooms. And yes, there are more differences than what season they can be used in.
This blog will cover the characteristics that differentiate each type, the ups and downs, and how LS Sunrooms wins in every category.
3-Season Sunrooms
At first glance, you may not realize the difference between a 3-season and 4-season space. Depending on the finishes or even the weather, they can come across as the same. But knowing just a few key points will help sort out the good from the bad.
Seasonal use: 3-season sunrooms may only be used in the warmer months, excluding winter. Depending on your region, this may even be only 2 seasons each year. This is because the framing is not thermally engineered to heat or cool the room properly. Meaning, the conditions outside will dictate how the sunroom feels on the inside.
Engineering: Most 3-season and even 4-season sunrooms on the market are made with an aluminum frame. This type of framing isn’t ideal for heat transfer, maintenance, and sustainability. In the cold months, heat from within gets sucked out, and in the hot months heat gets pulled in.
Price: 3-Season sunrooms will noticeably cost less than a 4-season. However, you get what you pay for. Poor-quality materials can lead to a space that you can only comfortably use a few months out of the year. A sunroom can be and should be an investment in your home. If you were to build an addition on your home, it would make sense to build using the same quality materials as the rest of your house.
"4-Season" Sunrooms
Seasons of use: These sunrooms can be used year-round. It’s an excellent option for those who live in a colder climate. This isn’t because the materials are always thermally efficient, though. Most of the time, additional heating and cooling are necessary, and the sunroom must be walled off from the rest of your home to prevent heat loss.
Engineering: With all 4-season sunrooms, you’ll find only one option available, aluminum, just like the 3-season sunrooms. While the systems can look much nicer than the 3-season compeitors, the end product is still not built to withstand the elements, mean not meeting building code.
Price: A 4-season will typically be more expensive than a 3-season. That’s because it is constructed to be heated and cooled. It’s also constructed to have a higher quality and is more durable. For example, our 4-season rooms are built to withstand a hurricane. But don’t be fooled either. If you find a 4-season sunroom that is too great of a price, we recommend staying away. Again, quality is essential, or else you’re just wasting your money in the long run!
LivingSpace 4-Season Sunroom
We mentioned what the majority of 3-season and 4-season sunrooms on the market will be like and how you can tell their differences. But, we have to talk about LivingSpace’s 4-season sunrooms, and why they end up beating out the typical “4-season” sunroom.
We do it differently here. We are one of the only sunroom options that are fully customizable with a quick installation process, and a patented design that meets building codes and thermal efficiency requirements. Meaning, you don’t have to wall of your LS sunroom, it can truly be a part of your home.
Rather than just being a luxury, LS sunrooms create equity.
Fully Custom: No matter what size, panels, windows, you prefer LivingSpace can make it happen. You will work with dealers to design your dream sunroom, and we will bring it to life. So, say goodbye to dull aluminum, rectangular sunrooms!
Fast Install Time: Our engineered sunroom is a much simpler process than a traditional room addition. A LivingSpace sunroom can be built in as little as 3 DAYS.
Superior Engineering: As we’ve mentioned quite frequently in this article, aluminum is not an ideal insulator. That’s why LivingSpace re-engineered the sunroom. Our PulTrex Framing System combines thermally-efficient vinyl and fiberglass materials to create a stronger, properly insulated sunroom that meets code, and counts as realestate on your home.
Request a Quote
The decision is simple, you need a 4-season sunroom, and if you want one to last while being worth the investment, choose LivingSpace. Our dealers are ready to talk, contact us here today and get started designing your 4-season sunroom.