When we first sit down with our customers, who are looking for a new sunroom, one of the things most people say they want is an all-glass sunroom. There are many reasons why an all-glass sunroom is not a good idea but we will share the top 5 of them here.
Bright and airy sunroom design by Archadeck of Kansas City
1. You will bake.
Remember that experiment we all did as kids where we put a leaf under a magnifying glass in the hot sun and if we did it just right the leaf started to shrivel or even get a burn hole in it? Now imagine you with an all-glass roof in a room in the heat of summer. A sunroom should be designed so you can enjoy the view of your yard and a certain amount of sun. But you want to enjoy the warmth and not the baking effect that the sun can have. You want to enjoy light but also want to have a place to hang shades or window cover for when you’re looking for a little more privacy in your sunroom.
2. Your furniture will not age gracefully.
Are you considering putting indoor furniture or wooden furniture in your new sunroom? Are you considering having fabric covered chairs, sofas or table covers? Nothing will fade furniture and fabric faster than prolonged exposure to hot sun. Even when the sun doesn’t feel very hot outside, the elevated heat as a result of the glass windows will put your furniture and upholstery aging on overdrive.
3. Working the heater overtime in the winter will work over your budget as well.
On the flip side, as much as glass holds heat in the summer, so does it fail to hold out cold in the winter. There is a direct correlation between the number of windows, the low temperatures, and the cold that comes into your sunroom. This does not by any means indicate that you shouldn’t use much glass. There are many things that can be done to still use plenty of glass but to use it in better sizes and in better places.
4. You will have far fewer months of the year that you can use your room.
Following points #1 and #3, having an all-glass sunroom may keep you out of your room for a good part of the summer and a good part of the winter. Most of my customers hope to spend 80+ percent of the year in the sunroom. By having a more moderate amount of glass, you will extend the winter and summer hours that you can enjoy your room.
5. Golf balls, hail balls, falling limbs and other objects will not be your friends.
Our hail out here in Kansas City can be very strong. None of us want to think about how a glass ceiling would hold up to hail balls, golf balls or any other falling objects. Limbs and other objects can easily fall on the roof of your sunroom just as they do on the roof of your house.
The best “top” for your sunroom is a roof. We will design your roof to match your existing roof style and materials. There are many different roof styles that can be used. To maximize sunlight and give an airier feel, a gable roof is often a nice option.
Consider a knee wall. The knee wall is the solid wall below the window line. This knee wall provides a lot of protection from the cold and gives us a great place to wire your electrical outlets.
Take your contractor’s advice on windows and doors. He can recommend the right glass to control temperature and control price. 
If you’re considering building a new sunroom or multi-season room for your Kansas City area home, get in touch with our award-winning designers for a free consultation at (913) 704-6240.
