A sunroom offers both an aesthetically pleasing space, and an area to enjoy the sun without the bugs! But, without heating in the sunroom, it might only useful for the warmer months. Thankfully, there are more warmer months than not in Destin. However, you should be able to enjoy a cozy sunroom in November, December, January, and February too!

Many people turn to add heating to an area like this. That way, they truly have another room in the house all year long. 

But, that can be easier said than done. There are a few challenges to warming up a room such as this properly. Some options may be cheap but not do the job efficiently. Others are costly with the same risk of inefficiency. 

We’ll look at the pros and cons of a few popular options to guide you to the best-fitting option for your home. 

Heating A Sunroom With Ductless Heat

Ductless heat is becoming more and more popular for entire homes. A system like this is well-suited for a sunroom. It’s as powerful as central heating, but much more flexible, and also will save money over time. A ductless heat system uses an outdoor heat pump to generate warm air. From there, it travels through thin, plastic tubing into the house. 

It has a built-in thermostat you can set to whatever temperature you want. This is great because the winter temperatures can be very unpredictable in Niceville. Having the ability to quickly changing the thermostat is very convenient. It provides the same heat you’re getting inside and is much better than any portable option. But, you don’t need to build out the ductwork to get it. Because the tubing runs easily in between rafter of the walls, ductwork doesn’t require any construction. 

Ductless Heat is also super efficient, and environmentally friendly. 

Portable Space Heaters In An Enclosed Patio

A fast, easy way to heat an enclosed patio or small addition is using portable space heaters. They’re a low-cost, low-hassle way to add warmth. But, you get what you pay for — and sometimes even less than that. With most being under $100, space heaters are the cheapest route to go. Running them is as simple as plugging it in and turning in on. But, they use a lot of energy to produce a relatively little amount of heat. At best, they can heat just one room. Any more, and they will use more power than other sources.

The problem is that sunrooms are not well insulated at all. They’re on the outside of the house. Heat will escape much more quickly than rooms within the structure. A space heater doesn’t have enough power to maintain a warm room. And, sometimes that can backfire. According to the United States Consumer Protection Safety Commission, space heaters are associated with thousands of fires and hundreds of deaths every year. 

In a pinch, a space heater may do the trick. But, you probably won’t get the room as warm as you’d like. You’ll also have a much higher electric bill, and the potential to start a fire. 

Adding Ductwork And Vents For Heating An Addition

Houses with forced air heat rely on ducts and vents to circulate the air to and from a furnace. Therefore, one option is adding to that system. An HVAC tech can build new ducts leading to the new room. The air can then circulate through a new vent in that room as well. It makes a lot of sense to go this route. But, doing so can be challenging and costly. 

First, ductwork usually takes up a lot of space. So you have to find room for it. That could mean using closet space our building out passageways along walls and ceilings inside. The cost to do so can easily run over $1,000. And, even then the setup may not work adequately. That’s because the forced air system still works from one thermostat. The sunroom will never be as warm as the rooms inside. 

With Winter right around the corner, we want you to be able to enjoy every room in your home-sunroom included. For more information about your heating options, and inquiries, visit our website at www.gulfshoreair.com or call us at 850-897-6540. Gulfshore Air Conditioning & Heating is fully licensed and insured.