People often use the terms three-season room and all-season room interchangeably. Once you understand what sets the two apart from one another, you can determine which is right for you. The differences come down to the materials used in construction and the room’s insulation.
A three-season room looks like an all-season room, but has single-pane glass and non-insulated floors. While this makes it less usable during the coldest months of the year, it also makes it more affordable than an all-season room. For Madison homeowners wanting to extend their outdoor enjoyment without overextending their budget, a three-season room is a fantastic option.
For many homeowners, three-season rooms strike the perfect balance between a screen porch and all-season rooms. An enclosed three-season room allows you to decorate like a regular room with nice furniture, flooring and decor. Screen porches require sturdy, weather-proof furnishings. With a three-season room, you never have to cover or remove your furniture during inclement weather like you would with a screen porch. Also, with a three-season room, you can start using your room earlier in the year and use it well into the chilly fall months, long after you would stop using your screen porch for the season. Our Madison area clients can typically enjoy their three-season rooms from the middle of March through the early part of November. You can’t say the same for a screen porch. Our three-season rooms are available with studio or cathedral solid roof options for design choice and flexibility.
Our three-season rooms can be used in the winter months for special occasions like Christmas and New Year’s with the addition of an HVAC unit to take the chill off. With three-season rooms, you’d use your HVAC unit in a very different manner than you would for an all-season room. For a three-season room, the HVAC unit would be used only to take the edge off during a holiday gathering or on an evening where you want to watch the snow fall. You wouldn’t use the HVAC to heat the three-season room consistently during the winter months, since a three-season room isn’t equipped with sufficient insulation to hold in the heat. In an all-season room, you can effectively use an HVAC unit for either heating or cooling purposes, creating year-round comfort.
What if you choose a three-season room and change your mind later? We have fantastic news. Our three-season rooms can be upgraded to an all-season room anytime by switching out the single-pane glass with high-performance Conserva Glass Plus™ and insulating the floor. Some of our clients choose to add a three-season room now and upgrade to an all-season room at a later date, for budgetary reasons or because their needs or lifestyle changes.
Windows and glass panes are the largest component of any type of room, so the glass type used will affect the overall usability of the room. Three-season rooms typically have single-pane glass windows which are more affordable, but offer minimal energy efficiency. High-performing, energy-efficient windows are used throughout the entire room in an all-season room, which costs more but makes year-round use possible. The choice is up to you. Different people choose a three-season room or an all-season room for different reasons. With Kool View, Madison homeowners have a lot to choose from, and can get the counsel you need to make the right choice for you.
Making the right choice has more to do with how you plan to use your room than on the construction differences. If you mainly want a stunning space where you can entertain occasionally during the winter month, and are content to have daily use of your room five to eight months of the year, then a three-season room could be the ideal solution. On the other hand, if you want additional space you can use comfortably all year long, and the thought of relaxing every morning with a cup of coffee while you enjoy the view outdoors, then an all-season room fits the bill. We can work with you to create the perfect oasis, no matter what your needs, style or budget are.