The Multiple Functions of a Florida Room

When a family wants more space and more interaction with the great outdoors in a protected way, a sunroom or Florida room may be the perfect answer. A sunroom, screen porch, or Florida room is an addition to the house that is a compromise between indoor home space and a patio or open yard space. Family members get fresh air and sunshine while being protected from insects and sunburn.

What Type of Outdoor Room To Choose?

There are several types of outdoor living rooms to choose from, including a Florida Room or a sunroom, a screened porch, a deck, or a patio. The only way to get a full three seasons out of this room is to be considering a Florida Room. The term Florida room and sunroom are pretty much interchangeable and the term used depends on where the home is located.

By definition, a sunroom is a room built as an addition off of a side or the back of a house. It is attached to and entered through the house. It may not be hooked up to the home's heating system, however. The walls consist of mostly glass or windows to let in as much sun as possible. The roof is more often than not a regular roof rather than glass. Sunrooms can also be built as an extension of the living or family room.

The term Florida room is used more in southeast America, and the term sunroom is used more in the rest of the country. In Florida, this form may be screens rather than glass windows, and farther north the room is more likely to have glass windows and may be referred to as a three-season room. In some areas, this sunroom can have screen windows in the summer and have them replaced with glass as temperatures fall.

The purpose of all these enclosed rooms is to enjoy the benefits of the outdoors without the bugs, UV rays, and other elements. The Florida room also gives the homeowner a lot more living space and can increase the value of the home.

If a homeowner has a smaller budget and needs less protection from the elements, they can consider building a deck or a patio with open walls and no roof or a pergola type roof or even a sunscreen. Any type of finished outdoor living space is a benefit to family enjoyment.

What Use Do People put Florida Rooms To?

There are a lot of ways to use Florida rooms, and a homeowner should consider how they want to use the space before building it. In addition to using a Florida room to enjoy the sun and the fresh air without getting sunburned or dealing with bugs, people use these rooms in other ways.

• The Florida room can function as an enclosed pool house. This is more common in Florida and the southern part of the U.S.
• Florida rooms can be used to add light to the rest of the house.
• The Florida room can be a great place to entertain and have parties.
• Sunrooms can also be a great way to get added heat to the house. If the sunroom is built by a contractor with experience in energy-efficient house design, the addition can lead to smaller heating bills.
• Sunrooms can also double as plant rooms to start garden plants or to grow herbs for cooking.

Once a sunroom or Florida room is installed, many families find they can use it for dining, hobbies, a family room, a play room, and even a home office. The possible uses for a Florida room depend on how it is designed and built, and how it is furnished. If the Florida room is large enough, it can serve dual purposes for a family. A well-designed and built family room can increase the living space and home value for the homeowner.