Dane County homeowners love three- and four-season rooms, as they provide a breathtaking view of the outdoors without having to deal with the heat of summer or the cold of our Wisconsin winters.
A lot of homeowners are surprised by the fact that three- and four-season rooms are not the same as sunrooms. The difference? In order for a room addition to be categorized as a sunroom it must have a glass roof. That said, many homeowners actually prefer a standard roof on their room addition as it makes the new room feel more like part of the house, and also allows them to add things like recessed lighting to the room — while still having a great view of the outdoors.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A THREE-SEASON & A FOUR-SEASON ROOM
In a nutshell, it all comes down to the windows.
Three-season rooms have single-pane glass windows. Although they’re more affordable, they only offer minimal energy efficiency. Four-season rooms — also referred to as all-season rooms — are constructed with double-pane windows, which are high-performing and energy-efficient, so the room can be enjoyed year round.
Made with single-pane glass windows, a three-season room strikes the perfect balance between a screen porch and a four-season room, as it allows you to decorate like a regular room with nice furniture, flooring and decor — unlike a screen porch that requires sturdy, weather-proof furnishings. Plus, you can begin using a three-season room earlier in the year and well into the chilly fall months, whereas a screen porch has a shorter window or use. A three-season room can also be used in winter months, for things like special occasions, with the addition of an HVAC unit.
One final note: a three-season room can be upgraded to a four-season room.
A four-season room is exactly what it sounds like — a room that can be comfortably enjoyed 365 days a year. This is accomplished with the use of double-pane glass windows, insulated floors and thermally engineered framing for robust insulation that effectively keeps the elements at bay.
