What is the Best Way to Insulate a Conservatory?
If your home has a conservatory, you should be able to enjoy it all year round. However, many people struggle to relax in their conservatory during the winter months because of the cold. Even when all doors and windows are closed and you sit down with a warm drink there’s a chill that shouldn’t be in your home. This is because conservatories are much less insulated because they’re often constructed from glass and polycarbonate, materials that don’t retain heat very effectively.
When your conservatory has a problem with heat retention this leads to many problems. Not only does it create a cold, uncomfortable room in your home but it may increase your heating bills, and cause mould and damp. The solution is to insulate your conservatory to protect against the colder winter months.
So, what is the best way to insulate a conservatory? Here are the 6 best ways to keep yourself warm in your conservatory this winter.
Install a New Conservatory Roof
Most heat will escape from your conservatory’s roof. Many unique roof designs look stylish and sleek while ensuring maximum heat retention. You don’t have to spend the colder months shivering in your own home, replacing the roof is an efficient and practical way to insulate your conservatory.
Instead of having a roof constructed from glass, Ultraroof is the perfect material that offers style and insulation. The material is triple-insulated and sealed to prevent drafts and retain heat. You can also install glass panels, skylights, and have your choice of multiple colours such as Terra Bric, Carbon Grey, and Harvest Brown.
Install Blinds or Roof Drapings
If you have a lower budget, blinds and roof drapings are a less expensive alternative to a roof replacement. Blinds can be created using a thermal material that minimises heat loss. However, because of the unique shapes of glass panels in conservatories, you will most likely need to purchase made-to-measure blinds.
Having thermal blinds and roof drapings may seem like a less expensive solution, but there are some drawbacks. You will need to pay for a bespoke service, which can be costly. The blinds will also need to be cleaned regularly to prevent them from becoming a home for mould. Also, in the summer, you won’t want to retain heat, so the thermal material may be inconvenient.
Upgrade Your Polycarbonate Roof
Sometimes a complete roof replacement isn’t necessary. Upgrading your polycarbonate roof by installing an extra layer of the material is a great way to insulate your conservatory. A more short- to medium-term solution as polycarbonate roofs retain their quality for around ten years, there are two ways you can use the material.
The first is by installing a thicker layer of polycarbonate to expand the glazing bars in the roof. While the other method involves adding a thin layer of polycarbonate under the structure. However, either way, it doesn’t prevent condensation from building up on the roof’s glass, which is another factor to consider.
Solar Control Film
A solar control film is a material applied to your conservatory’s windows that acts as a sponge for heat. All the heat that the film absorbs then circulates throughout the room. Imagine that you’re turning all the glass in your conservatory into radiators that also retain heat.
The material also reduces UV rays and glare, making the material useful in the summer months too. However, without the right high-quality solar control film, they can peel away from the glass. They’re also better paired with a new conservatory roof as they are more suited to your conservatory’s windows, rather than the ceiling glass panels.
Aluminium Foil & Thermal Wadding
Aluminium foil and thermal wadding are materials you can use to build around your existing conservatory roof. Instead of investing in a replacement, you can use the materials to add an extra layer of insulation. As well as retaining heat in the winter, both aluminium and wadding prevent heat from entering the room during the summer, which helps prevent overheating.
Adding insulation means choosing between a plaster or plastic finish. Depending on your interior design preferences the best option will vary, but plaster is stronger and more practical. If you want to install new lighting, you can easily install lighting into plaster.
How to Keep Your Conservatory Warm This Winter
There are many reasons why your conservatory may be cold. During the winter months, especially at home in the UK, the temperatures are going to drop. This means your heating will be going on, but if your conservatory isn’t insulated all that heat is going to be lost, leaving you with a cold, uncomfortable space. But you don’t have to worry, there are plenty of solutions.
To find out the best way to insulate your conservatory, call our team at Northants Windows on 01604 946669 or visit our contact page today.