Adding a conservatory to your home doesn’t just give you extra space, it brings the outdoors into your home and creates a unique living space that can be enjoyed all year round.
Many people use conservatories as summer spaces, as areas to enjoy the rays of sunshine and the sights of a garden. A space that is between indoors and outdoors, a conservatory often gives extra space and light to homes and even though many homeowners use conservatories mostly during the summer months, you can use them all year round use as long as you have chosen the correct heating system.
DECIDING BETWEEN A CONSERVATORY AND A SUN ROOM
One of the first considerations will be to decide whether you want a full conservatory or a sunroom. Your choice will affect the cost, whether you need planning permission and what building regulations apply.
According to FENSA, the window industry regulator, the definition of a conservatory is:
- Not less than 75% of the roof area is made from translucent material
- Not less than 50% of the wall area is made from translucent material
- It is either unheated or heated by a system with
- Its own and separate heating controls
- It must be separated from the main residence by ‘external’ doors
To ensure you enjoy the maximum benefit of your conservatory or sunroom, conservatory heating should be installed. Electric underfloor heating suits well for the heating requirements of a conservatory and with adequate insulation, it allows you to use this space at any time of the year-regardless of the outside temperature.
INSULATION IS KEY
As conservatories and sun rooms are almost entirely built of glass, it is essential to get the insulation right. You don’t want the cold air to get in, but at the same time you don’t want the warm air generated inside to escape due to bad insulation. Due to the large area of them being made out of glass and potentially high heat loss, underfloor heating is an ideal choice.
Heating your conservatory with underfloor heating is ideal as the system produces radiant heat rising from the floor level up. This has a benefit over the way radiators do, which is by producing heat that flows in the air that rises to the ceiling where the warm air is more likely to escape.
MINIMAL HEAT LOSS
The heat produced by underfloor heating is less likely to escape from the windows or glass walls. The system provides evenly distributed heat which makes your conservatory luxuriously warm and a pleasant place to spend time in. It is also an invisible system giving you more space to be enjoyed as no bulky radiators are needed.
A high wattage underfloor heating system such as 200w/m2 electric underfloor heating mat is designed to give the high output required in a conservatory which is prone to heat loss. You should get a heat loss calculation done to ensure your choice of a heating system is capable of meeting the heating requirement of your conservatory or sun room.
UNDERFLOOR HEATING FOR CONSERVATORIES
The costs of having a conservatory depend on the materials, its shape, and its size. The heating is a major consideration, but having underfloor heating is a worthwhile investment as it will make your conservatory a space that can be used all-year round. Installing either warm water or electric underfloor heating, you don’t have to worry about the seasons and being able to use the extra space.
PRACTICAL FLOOR FINISH THE BEST CHOICE
Underfloor heating is suitable for almost any floor finish, but a practical and durable floor is usually best for a conservatory. Ceramic tile or natural stone are popular and responsive floor finishes and ideal with underfloor heating.
A conservatory is a great place to relax all year round. Whether you have or are thinking of getting one, it makes sense to get the maximum benefit of it and taking care of the heating system for the times of the year when the weather gets colder. To get started with planning the heating for your conservatory, get a quote for underfloor heating.
