Posted by Roofco February 18, 2019
If you’re keen to stamp your property’s value, maximize the light coming into your home, or just create a space to stargaze at night, a conservatory will make a stunning addition to your home. The choice of the materials to use will depend on what you’re looking to achieve by building the glasshouse. To help you decide, this article highlights the pros and cons of the three most common roofing materials used to build conservatories.
Glass Roofs
Glass is the most popular material used for conservatory roofing. Apart from letting in lots of natural light, glass is weather resistant, less prone to scratches and the most aesthetically appealing. If you want to enjoy looking at your lush outdoor garden or star-gaze in wee hours of the night, a glass-roofed conservatory will serve your desires.
One downside of glass roofing, is the intensity of the sun’s glare. Many homeowners whose conservatories are glass roofed complain of fading furniture and fabrics from the sun rays. Fortunately, these days, this no longer needs to be a problem. Coated glass provides better temperature control properties. Besides, double glazed panels with the special coating self-clean reducing the hassle of maintenance.
The other disadvantage of glass, is its delicate nature. To avoid damages, homeowners should hire qualified roofing contractors for installation.
Tiled Conservatory Roofs
Tiled conservatory roofs have thermo performance capabilities comparable to no other material. Effective insulations mean that your home will stay warmer in the winter cooler in the summer months. If you have energy-hungry heating appliances such as electric heaters, this feature will help you cut on your energy bills.
Sitting in a glass-roofed conservatory when it’s raining, may bring a nostalgic smile on your face as you reminisce those childhood days in a dodgy caravan, but if you want to read a book from your conservatory, the noise will be a lot less amusing. Tiles provide better sound insulation which means you’ll have a more quiet and calm living space extension. The downside of tiled conservatories is they may not be as bright as those made of glass but guess what! You can install Velux-style windows to enjoy some of that natural light.
Polycarbonate Roofs
If you’re on a shoestring budget, you might want to opt for polycarbonate roofing. This material is 3-4 times cheaper than glass and this is not the only draw; polycarbonate has UV blocking properties meaning you won’t have to endure harsh sun rays. Again, this material is extremely light and can easily be transported to where it’s needed. Polycarbonate is also resistant to heat and sunlight; it can last for years without fading or discoloring.
The downside with polycarbonate roofs is that they are opaque in nature which means they allow less natural light into the house. This material also has less superior sound insulation properties thus will let in more noise from outside. Moreover, regarding aesthetics, polycarbonate and glass are incomparable- glass roofing always takes the lead.
Clearly, each material has its advantages and disadvantages. Before deciding what to pick, consider your priorities. For instance, if what you want is a sunroom that lets in as much light as possible into the house, a glass roofed conservatory would be a better pick compared to a tiled one.