Conscious Choice: Screened Patio Rooms

June 2000 | Sensible Home

Screened Patio Rooms

by James Dulley

Dear Jim: During summer, I often switch off the air conditioner in the evening and eat on my patio, but I end up being dinner for the insects. I want to add a simple screened patio room from a kit. What types are best? — Wes C.

Dear Wes: Adding a screened patio room makes sense. The savings on your electric bills from turning off your air conditioner earlier (not to mention the dollars you’ll save on insect repellent) can go a long way toward paying for your screened patio room.

Another benefit of adding even a simple screened enclosure is that its roof will block the intense afternoon sun from shining in your windows. Not only is the heat reduced, but there will be less carpet and furniture fading.

You have many options of screened patio rooms to choose from depending on your budget, your do-it-yourself abilities and interests. Many attractive kits are more than 90 percent preassembled. Over a weekend, you and a few friends could complete even a fairly complex model.

Most screened patio rooms (some can also be assembled over a deck) fit into one of three design types: (1) summer-only screened rooms, (2) three-season-use rooms, and (3) year-round-use rooms. The latter is fairly similar to a sun room except that most have solid roofs with optional skylights.

For the budget-minded person, a simple round or square screened patio room with a three-ply vinyl roof is an excellent choice. These kits are available in sizes from about 90 to 220 square feet. You can assemble one in a couple of hours and collapse it to store away over winter.

For the avid do-it-yourselfer, consider getting a screen panel kit. The large cedar panels, up to seven feet tall, create an attractive, bug-free porch. For use on cooler evenings, select one with snap-in clear acrylic panels.

Most of the three-season models use white insulated aluminum roof panels to block the heat and add structural strength. Three-inch-thick laminated foam insulation (R-15) is common and usually adequate. These also typically use single-pane windows; the aluminum frame does not have thermal breaks.

Year-round patio rooms, in all but the mildest climates, use thermal break frames and thermal pane windows. These usually are designed to be heated and cooled by the house HVAC system or its own mini-heat pump. For the most open screened area (about 75 percent), choose panels with quad-track windows.

Although not inexpensive, installing a folding window wall creates one of the most unique and efficient patio rooms. The wall is actually a series of large insulated window/screen panels that open accordion style allowing for 92 percent open area. They glide on ball bearings and have strong locks for security.

Write for (or instantly download) Update Bulletin No. 848, buyer’s guide of eleven patio room/screen porch kit manufacturers showing roof/wall designs, window/door options, features, material construction details and illustrations. Please include $3 and a business-size SASE. James Dulley, Conscious Choice, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244

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