A vitamin D deficiency can cause all kinds of problems. A decrease in bone density caused by a lack of vitamin D, for example, can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures. The more current studies are now linking vitamin D deficiency to depression, lack of energy, mood swings, chronic skin problems, and other chronic diseases.
The good news is vitamin D, for the most part, is readily available in abundance for free. You can get essential doses of vitamin D with some time in the sun. Sunlight causes your body to produce vitamin D when you expose your skin to it.
Not all of us can tolerate time outside, though. Allergies and bug-phobia bring some people indoors. Screen rooms are a perfect way to stay free from the less attractive elements outside, still get your vitamin D, and enjoy the fresh air.
Keep reading to learn about the essential distinctions between a screen room and a sunroom, and learn why a screen room is your best bet for enjoying the best parts of the outdoors.
Screen Room: Throw Some Shade
So, what is a screen room?
A screen room is basically a screened-in porch. It consists of a room that is often attached to the deck but has four walls with screens. The room will look like a room of windows, but it will have no glass panes, only screens, in the frames.
High-quality screen rooms are also known as patio enclosures. You can turn any part of your patio or deck into a screen room with the right contractor doing the work.
Benefits of a Screen Room
Screen rooms allow you to enjoy every part of the outdoors that you love without the things you hate. So you can enjoy the gentle cool breeze in the spring or the warm breeze in the summer as you sit on your patio furniture. But you do not feel the beating rays of the sun bearing down on you.
Your room will keep bugs and other unwanted creatures at bay as you enjoy the fresh smells of the outdoors.
Plus, the screen room protects your patio furniture and your decking. The room will have a sturdy roof over it, often shingled to match your home. When the rain falls, your room will stay dry.
This means you have the option of installing outdoor carpet, making the room even more luxurious.
You can make plans and host parties in the screen room without worrying about the elements wrecking your party.
If you're putting your screen room on a stone or concrete patio and you have proper ventilation, you can even put a fire pit in the room. The room can have all the ambiance of the outdoors with the protection of screens and a roof.
Screen rooms will cost less to install than a sunroom because they're an enclosure for your deck or patio. So when the rain starts to fall, you can move your party to the screen room quickly without much hassle.
Sunroom: Restrictive Outdoors
Sunrooms are another solution for those individuals who want just vitamin D. A sunroom is a screen room with glass windows. You still have the option of opening the windows and experiencing fresh air, but you have the option of shutting everything up to hold out the elements. The sunroom is an extension of your home, another room that distinguishes itself by its structure.
Benefits of a Sunroom
When you have a sunroom, you can enjoy the beauty of the outdoors from the comfort of your recliner. You're adding a room unto your house, but the walls are mostly windows.
This means you have a climate-controlled room. You can install air and heat in the room.
The Downside of a Sunroom
Sunrooms do have a downside. For one, you miss all of the elements of the outdoors that make them pleasant. You cannot hear the birds chirping or feel the warm summer breeze. You're restricted behind a pane of glass.
If you truly enjoy all aspects of the outdoors, you have limitations when you have windows instead of just screens. You will not enjoy the elements of a cool breeze in quite the same way that you would with a screen room, so you sacrifice a bit of the aesthetics of being outdoors.
Also, if something tears your screen, you can replace the screen more cheaply than if something breaks your window. So maintenance can cost more for a sunroom. Screens are something you can repair or replace on your own, whereas windows are a costly repair.
Materials and Versatility
The best and most affordable screen rooms are those constructed with aluminum. Aluminum has a high resistance to scratching, fading, peeling, and chipping. Plus, it holds its color.
Also, you have the option of having electricity in your screen room through a weatherproof and tamper proof electrical outlet. Some local ordinances even require screen porches to have at minimum one outlet.
Electricity allows you to use your screen room for more than just enjoying the outdoors. You can have the television set up and host parties to watch a big sporting event or you can convert the room into a temporary office for when you have to work at home and still want some sun exposure.
Many contractors will custom make the screen room to fit your space. So if you have an odd-shaped deck or patio, you can still have a screen room.
Because of their versatility and low cost, screen room ideas abound.
Soak In the Sun
You can soak in the sun from the convenience of your own home with a screen room. You'll have all the feels of the outdoors without the harsh rays of the sun or assaults from bugs. Plus, you won't have to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.
Screen rooms are one of the more affordable options for creating a great space for your deck and patio.
For all of your screen porch needs, contact us.