Tips on Adding on a Sunroom

Choose Location Carefully

• If possible, build your sunroom so it is located on the southwest side of your home. This provides the greatest amount of sun to the room, which helps warm and brighten the space. Construct the sunroom on a side of your home that does not face a neighbor's property or the street, to ensure greater privacy. If your backyard is fenced, placing the sunroom on the side that faces the yard may be your best option to shield it from neighbors and passers-by.

Pick the Right Material

• Several materials can be used to construct your sunroom, so consider maintenance, style and price when choosing. For durability and weather resistance, aluminum frames are often used to build a sunroom. Aluminum is also a lightweight material, so there is typically greater design flexibility. However, aluminum frames are usually painted, so they may require touch-ups over time. Vinyl sunroom structures are another durable option, and unlike aluminum framed sunrooms, they tend to require almost no maintenance. They are also available in a wide range of styles, but typically carry a higher price tag than aluminum frames. Many homeowners opt for wood when building their sunroom because it can be used in conjunction with glass panels and aluminum to create an extremely attractive and warm space. For a wood sunroom, find a contractor who can provide references, because a wood sunroom that is poorly built can deteriorate quickly.

Consider Roof Lines

• The roof lines of your home are usually designed to account for a variety of issues such as the direction of snow-drift and drainage. When you add a sunroom, the roof line may undergo significant changes that cause problems you have not had to deal with previously. In particular, the roofs of backsplit, sidesplit and bungalow-style homes can be greatly affected when a sun room is added. As a result, you may need to renovate your roof to accommodate your sunroom. Ask your contractor or your sunroom kit's retailer about planning a new roof line to accommodate your sunroom and prevent drainage and other issues from affecting your existing roof.

Enhance the Exterior

• Part of the appeal of a sunroom is that you can enjoy the outdoors from the comfort of your home. To make the most of your new sunroom, plant additional shrubbery, flowers and small trees outside the room. Consider adding a birdhouse or bird feeder, or perhaps a squirrel feeder.