How to Insulate a Sunroom in Florida

As the name implies, sunrooms have the most sun exposure compared to other rooms in your home, so insulating one may not be something you may have thought was important when it comes to warm weather. However, insulation helps keep cool air circulating and promotes sunroom energy efficiency.

All-season sunrooms may have some type of heating and cooling system. Any time a room has heating and cooling, you want insulation to save energy. Without it, your HVAC system will continuously run the AC to keep your Florida sunroom at a comfortable temperature.

Also, insulating three-season rooms is crucial due to the absence of a heating and air conditioning system. Insulation will ensure the room stays cool during the year-round sunny Florida weather.

All in all, insulation keeps the sunroom cool when it’s hot outside (and warm for the occasional cool Florida night), making it the ideal living space to relax anytime without worrying about the weather, pesky critters, or hay fever from sprouting vegetation!

The Best Insulation Options For a Sunroom

For these reasons, Lifestyle Remodeling is proud to make insulation a standard part of the sunroom design and build process! And while many DIY projects focus on fiberglass insulation and high-density foam, we have extremely high quality, technologically-advanced materials that ensure the best build for your sunroom.

Thermally Broken Walls

Our premier thermal sunrooms use industry-leading 2-lb high-density Expanded Polystyrene, recognized as the most effective and durable insulation material for sunrooms. Thermal protection is primarily provided by the type and amount of insulation within the wall and roof systems, working together with high-quality window systems and other engineering. This type of sunroom means that you get maximum enjoyment of your sunroom throughout the seasons.

High-Performance Insulated Glass

Our all-season sunrooms only use high-performance insulated glass to help control temperature. Glass room additions or glass enclosures can offer year-round comfort for unlimited seasonal use.

TEMO Sunrooms

Lifestyle Remodeling offers TEMO’s unique Window Wall System – the industry’s leading system for structural strength, insulation, durability, and design. They even withstand hurricane-force winds!

There are so many benefits to constructing a TEMO sunroom, and when it comes to insulation, they provide superior performance for comfort control throughout all seasons. The E-Zone high-performance tempered safety glass with UVP is four times stronger than conventional glass with UV shields. You can also upgrade to double-pane insulated glass. Plus, the Thermal Wall system has a weather and insect barrier – perfect for the humid Florida weather that attracts unwanted bug guests to your lunch or evening soiree.

And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention another huge benefit of a TEMO sunroom: floor-to-ceiling views. Not only do you get superior temperature control from the high-quality glass, but you’ll also reap the benefits of what a sunroom is all about – enjoying the outdoors with stellar views from the comfort of your sunroom!

Add-Ons to Cool Down Your Sunroom

There are some add-on options you can consider in addition to insulation to keep your sunroom cool and comfortable in the hottest summer months.

Window Blinds

Window blinds or shades aren’t a replacement for insulation, but some blinds come with a reflective coating to prevent heat buildup. You can close the blinds or shades during the hottest part of the day to block the sun out temporarily and keep the area cooler.

Pro tip: Customize the blinds to match the room’s aesthetic if you have the budget!

Weather Stripping

It’s easy for air to escape through the window frames of your sunroom. Whether cold air is flowing out or unwanted warm air is flowing in, it’s wasteful.

All that’s needed is some weather stripping or clear caulk to seal the areas where the air is escaping, such as the spaces between the wall and window frame or between two butting frames.

When Lifestyle Remodeling does a custom sunroom build or converts an addition into a sunroom, we pay attention to how we construct your sunroom, so you don’t have to worry about any inefficiencies with airflow in this regard.

Flooring

The flooring material of your sunroom can significantly affect its energy efficiency. Since Florida residents don’t need to worry about carpeting and underfloor heating to keep their feet warm, you have many options! Cool stone tiles or concrete can be a great option to complement the rest of your sunroom space.

Additional Cooling Options

In addition to insulation, you can consider several sunroom heating and cooling options to ensure your space remains at a comfortable temperature.

Mini-Split HVAC Systems

All-season rooms can have an independent mini-split HVAC system. While this will increase your energy bill, many homeowners want their sunrooms to be functional year-round, particularly when it stays hot and humid in the summer months.

Fans

You may want to consider a ceiling fan for three-season sunrooms since a mini-split HVAC system might not be an option. They can push hot air out of the room during the hottest Florida months and keep cool air circulating.

A fan is a great way to keep your Florida sunroom comfortable if you don’t plan on installing an air conditioning system or you simply plan to limit your use of AC to keep costs down. Along with insulation, you can adequately cool the room without your utility bill skyrocketing.

Portable AC Units

You could also consider a portable AC unit – although keep in mind that they typically need a vent to eliminate hot air. However, this can be modified in our Temkor knee wall. These units are an economical way to keep your sunroom comfortable and can be purchased in most “big box” stores.

Overall, choosing a sunroom builder like Lifestyle Remodeling, which makes insulation a standard part of your sunroom project and has many years of experience building for warm Florida weather, is your best bet!

Start Your Sunroom Project Today

Insulating your sunroom is an intelligent choice to maximize energy efficiency and provide a comfortable space year-round. For assistance with sunroom insulation, contact us at Lifestyle Remodeling!

Get a free quote from our team, so you know exactly how much you’ll spend before beginning your project.