If you enjoy taking advantage of the beautiful weather that we enjoy living in Florida, you realize that enclosing your outdoor living space is a must-do at some point. You’ve been saving up and can fit the build into your budget. Now, all that you have to do is decide whether you’re going to install a sunroom or a patio enclosure.
The two options are very different when everything is said and done. You need to consider things such as:
• How the room will be used
• How often you will be using the room
• The amount you want to spend—if you’re looking for the least expensive option, a patio enclosure is the way to go.
Once you’ve thought about those three factors, we can help you make the final decision.
Patio Enclosure
If you love spending time outdoors year-round, but insects drive you back inside again more often than you’d like to admit, a patio enclosure may be the answer to your problem. Mesh screen enclosures define your outdoor living area while running a blockade against all manner of insects. Noseeums and mosquitoes included!
Enclosed patios are created by installing finely woven mesh screens around the perimeter of your existing patio. If you don’t have a patio, you can easily plan the build from the ground up. Mesh screen enclosures are an excellent choice for creating an outdoor living space. They afford you some outdoor privacy while allowing your family to enjoy the benefit of free airflow. You’ll catch every breeze that passes by while blocking bugs and mosquitoes from gaining access to you and your family.
You can pack away the fly swatters and insect repellant. You won’t be needing them any longer! Screening in your patio offers other benefits to enjoy as well.
Protection from the elements
The sun is harsh during the summer months. Installing a mesh screen enclosure around your patio provides you with a degree of protection from ultraviolet (UV) rays. You won’t need to constantly apply sunscreen in order to enjoy your time outside without getting burned.
Mesh screen enclosures provide some protection from the rain as well—especially if you choose a solid material to build out the ceiling.
A sense of privacy
Homeowners report enjoying an enhanced sense of privacy after screening their patios. Even though the “walls” are made of screens, the barrier creates the essence of privacy. Using darker-colored screens increases the outcome even more.
That said, have you seen customized screen enclosures? They allow you to choose any digital image—either one from a company catalog or from your private library—and have it printed directly onto your screens. The results are pretty amazing. Imagine walking out your backdoor and feeling as if you’ve stepped into your all-time favorite vacation spot. Now, imagine reliving the feelings you experienced while you were there. Customizing your screens allows you to create your own private getaway just outside your door.
Advances in technology have allowed for the creation of dyes with added UV protection. Your images will be ultra-resistant to sun fade.
Blocks dirt and debris
Looking out back after a storm passes by won’t be the same after you get your enclosure installed. You won’t have to clean up before you can enjoy the space again because dirt and debris are going to stay out in the yard where they belong.
Sunroom
A sunroom adds a new room to your home rather than adding an outdoor living space. They are designed to allow as much light as possible into the space. The walls—and oftentimes a portion of the ceiling as well—are created with as many windows as possible. It’s the more costly option between the two, but for those who love the creature comforts, a sunroom allows for air conditioning while letting our glorious sun light up the room.
They add to the value of your home more so than enclosing your patio would as well. However, unless you are planning to put your home on the market in the near future, that shouldn’t be a deciding factor as to which you’ll choose.
Since a sunroom is a physical part of the home, your decor will likely be more expensive. Have you decided on flooring or carpeting? Would you install glass windows with added UV protection? All these decisions will affect your final cost.
Screened in or surrounded by glass?
Which will it be then? A sunroom or a patio enclosure? We hope after reading this article you’ve come closer to making your decision.
Ultimately, a sunroom isn’t going to offer you the option of bringing the outdoors in. If you love being outdoors, a screened patio sounds like the right choice. It allows you to experience being outdoors while providing you, your family, and friends some protection from the elements.
Bugs won’t be driving you indoors because they can’t get through the finely woven screen. Dirt and yard debris are held back too. You won’t have to incur the expense of installing a new addition to your home, however, your property value is going to increase to some degree.
Moreover, even though it’s the least costly of the two options, you can completely change the ambiance of your surroundings by choosing to work with a company that offers screen customization. We should mention, as well, that Florida’s strict building codes ensure that your enclosure will be built to withstand hurricane-force winds. You can rest assured that you and your family will be enjoying the space for years to come.
Perhaps you can tell that we’re leaning more towards enclosing your patio rather than installing a sunroom. No pressure though. We’re sure you’ll make the choice that’s right for you and yours because family is a top priority. Looking out for their best interests is second nature—as it should be. Kudos to you for that.