Here in the Kansas City area, outdoor rooms are very popular. With an outdoor room, you have a couple choices in terms of whether you want a traditional porch, a 3-season room or a full sunroom. A sunroom is a true room addition. It has heating and air as well as insulation and full glass windows. A screened porch does not have windows, insulation or heating/air but is still a room addition to your home available for use generally for 9 or 10 months of the year.
After learning about the differences between a sunroom and screened porch, most homeowners realize they are looking for a screened porch because of the benefits of choosing a screened room compared to the costs associated with a room addition. To help you make your choice, here are some questions to consider.
Sunroom in Olathe KS
Do you want a room to use year round regardless of the weather, even when it’s 10 below zero? If you are looking for a room that you can enjoy in the very low temperatures often associated with the dead of winter, then you will need a heated room with insulation and glass windows which is a sunroom.
Are you looking to add additional interior space to your home? If so, a sunroom serves as a true room addition and can provide the additional space you are looking for throughout the entire year.
Screened porch with outdoor fireplace in Leawood KS
While the benefits of having a room that could be used 12 month/year sound nice, it’s important to note that those options really add to the cost. A screened porch doesn’t provide temperature control. While you can influence the temperature of the room with an outdoor fireplace, stationary heaters or a couple of ceiling fans, you will not have absolute temperature control. However, here in the Kansas City market, you can often comfortably use your screened porch up to 9 or 10 months out of the year.
In addition to the significant cost savings of selecting a screened porch over a sunroom, there are some additional benefits. A screened porch with no glass is cooler. Having any glass, even if it opens, still traps heat and makes the room hotter in the summer.
If you are looking for a covered room, another option is an open porch, also called a covered porch. This room has a roof and may even have railings depending on code but it does not have walls or screens. This is a great option if you don’t want any obstructions between you and the fresh air. The roof will provide sun protection and some level of rain protection but the room has no bug protection. Here in the Kansas City market, most homeowners want bug free outdoor living which requires enclosing your room with either screens or glass.
Covered/open porch in Overland Park KS
In determining which outdoor space is right for you, the best place to start is to determine how you want to live outside. Do you want to eat outside? Are you looking for a bright and airy seating area? Do you want a space where you can do both? Do you regularly want to entertain in your outdoor room or will you mostly use the space for your family?
At Archadeck of Kansas City, we are passionate about building spaces for how you want to live. During our free consultation, we work with you on these questions as well as with other design and cost considerations to recommend the best space for you with the right amenities and options for your family.
Give us a call for a free consultation at (913) 704-6240.
