Conservatory Freezing!

allan_2

Hi everyone,

we moved into a new house last year which has a conservatory. The problem is that it is freezing in the winter! It is still quite new, only about 4 years old and still under warrenty (CR SMITH). I had them in to look and they replaced a couple of window seals and said that the tempererature was to be expected.. is this right?!

We use the room a lot as my wee boy has his train set in there so looking for options to keep it warm this winter. I saw this Polycool stuff > http://www.polycool.co.uk/index.php which seems to have some effect,, anyone used it? Seems good for keeping the room cool but that is not really an issue in scotland!

I was thinking of putting bubblewrap over the ceiling panels, would this work? Would condensation be an issue? Would it just look silly!?!?

Any ideas welcome -remember trying to do this as cheap as possible!

Cheers, Allan

fluffymuffy

allan wrote: »

.. said that the tempererature was to be expected.. is this right?!

erm, yes - it's a glass box

Mutton_Geoff

I put a huge radiator in mine to replace the tiddly thing the builders left on the wall. Could really do with underfloor heating though.

Too hot in summer (helped by blinds) and too cold in winter is to be expected.

fluffymuffy

The thing to do is to close the doors and not go in there when it's cold. In the winter it might be a nice space on a sunny day. In the summer if it gets too hot you should be outside anyway. Conservatories come into their own on a long summer evening and in the srping and autumn on those days when you want to sit outside but it's too cold. They are not intended to be heated.

TomsMom

We have a similar problem.

We have just purchased a house which we are renovating before we move in. It has a conservatory, sort of lean-to with polycarbonate roof. Previous owners told us it was sometimes too hot to sit in during the summer and cold in the winter although there are two radiators.

As we have builders in doing the major renovation works we have discussed this with them, saying we wish it to be a more habitable room all year round if possible. The solution is not exactly money saving but it should make the room more usable.

The polycarbonate roof (which leaks although conservatory only built in 2004) is to be removed, the construction will be strengthened to take the weight of a slate roof with two Velux windows to allow light as OH was worried a full slate roof would take away so much of the light the poly roof allowed in. With proper insulation it will be better than the original.

However, to keep it warm and cosy in the winter you'd probably need carpet (ours and most conservatories have tiled floors) and big thick curtains which can be drawn but that could be a big expense depending on how much glass you actually have.

fluffymuffy

TomsMom wrote: »

The polycarbonate roof (which leaks although conservatory only built in 2004) is to be removed, the construction will be strengthened to take the weight of a slate roof with two Velux windows to allow light as OH was worried a full slate roof would take away so much of the light the poly roof allowed in. With proper insulation it will be better than the original.

The alteration you describe is not permitted under the Building Regulations. A conservatory cannot be converted into an extension. Its foundations and general construction will not comply with the latest requirements. The area of window will be massively over what is permitted in an extension.

Conservtories are exempt from the building reguilations if their walls are at least 50% glazing and the rood at least 75% transparent or transluscent.

TomsMom

fluffymuffy wrote: »

The alteration you describe is not permitted under the Building Regulations. A conservatory cannot be converted into an extension. Its foundations and general construction will not comply with the latest requirements. The area of window will be massively over what is permitted in an extension.

Well, that's strange. The building control officer came to the house and met with the architect last Friday, discussed the proposals and strengthening details and agreed that as far as he was concerned everything would be OK.

We are having a loft conversion rebuilt (due to it being substandard) and the detailed drawings for this will also include the proposals for the roof on the conservatory and will be submitted to the planning officer. The planning officer also recently visited the property and it was he who suggested a slate roof on the conservatory would look nice as it would marry up with the slate roof on the kitchen extension. Therefore it's been discussed with all relevant officials, who all like the idea and have raised no objections so far.

fluffymuffy

The individual building control officers do have the power to interpret the regulations as they see fit but there's no way any of those in our local authority or the four neighbnouring ones we deal with would pass such a conversion.

Planning is another matter though. They just want to ensure things look nice and are in keeping etc. Although they do tend to suggest some unbuildable things from time to time.

27col

Conservatories are not classified as habitable rooms and do not meet the specifications for insulation values that apply to rooms which are intended for habitation. It therefore follows that their heat losses will always be large and will render them very expensive to use as habitable rooms. Essentially they are at best, auxiliary accommodation.

maypole

Ours is exactly the same, cold in winter and hot in summer and stupidly we put a radiator in ours which is a waste of time, because we don't sit in there in the winter and it has little effect anyway. It is handy however for keeping all the christmas veg fresh and the drinks cold.;)

We use ours alot from late spring, the summer and Autumn evenings are lovely, when it would be too cold to be outside, you still feel like you are in the garden and we overlook the sea so it is ideal for us.

We do have draughts though and probably need to check the window seals.