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Glass Roof or Tiled Roof – The Big Conservatory Debate

In the UK, approximately 18% of households have conservatories of all different shapes and sizes. That’s almost 1 in 5 people, which is pretty staggering! It goes to show how many people are intrigued by the extra living space and appearance. People in the UK use conservatories for all different purposes including gardening, an extra living room, a dining room or just somewhere different in your home to chill out. The possibilities of creativity when it comes to the interior design of conservatories is pretty much endless. As benefits besides leisure go for conservatories, they also increase the value of your property. According to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a conservatory can increase the value of your home by 5 percent! Another estate agent Savill believes that it can increase the value by as high as 10 percent. When you choose a conservatory, you get the choice of what shape you would like the conservatory and in more recent years, if you would like a solid (tiled) conservatory roof. Many people decide to have a solid conservatory roof due to its large amount of benefits, however, some choose to keep their conservatory as it is. Admittedly, both have their benefits and some are more appealing to some than others. In this post, we will be going over the benefits of having a glass roof, as well as the benefits of having a solid roof.

Thermal Efficiency

This is more of a benefit of owning a solid conservatory roof instead of a glass conservatory roof, and probably tiled conservatory roofs biggest selling point. In a solid conservatory roof, there are layers of insulation for the purpose of keeping your conservatory cool in the summer and warm in the winter. This is a massive benefit as some have complained that in hot weather they are unable to use their conservatory because it is too hot, and in cold weather, they are too unable to use their conservatory as it is far too cold. Having a solid conservatory roof allows you to use your conservatory all year round and gives you more freedom for design. Solid conservatory roofs also help to lower heating bills in the winter due to the extra layers of insulation in your home. To learn more about efficiency with our specialist Guardian Roofs, please refer to our efficiency page.

People who own a conservatory for the sole purpose of summer use may have an alternate opinion to this. People may enjoy the heat of the conservatory in the summer accompanied by fresh air from having windows or doors in the conservatory. Many conservatory owners also argue that a conservatory is somewhere to relax whilst the weather is nice and you have guests round or in the garden. If you are in Northumberland and are more interested in the option of having a solid conservatory roof then you may be interested in our ‘Guardian Roofs’. Guardian Roofs are solid, tiled conservatory roofs that are fully customisable and can be installed with a new conservatory or on to an existing conservatory. If you are intrigued with how they can be used and customised, please refer to our tiled conservatory roof finishes page.

Less Noise Pollution

Another benefit of owning a solid conservatory roof is the reduction of noise pollution. Meaning you’ll be sheltered from the noise coming from the rest of your home and from the outside of your home. This, however, is only a benefit if you’re living in a busy house or a house in a busy area. Noise pollution won’t really affect you if you are living in a quieter area, such as the countryside. Reducing noise pollution is perfect for those who may live in an area that is more residential and generally busier. Polycarbonate conservatory roofs are usually no good for blocking out internal or external noise. Having a solid conservatory roof, on the other hand, reduces noise by 30 decibels! If you are comfortable with the temperature of your conservatory and are not affected by noise outside or inside your home, then having a solid conservatory roof is probably not the best option for you, however, if you are living in a more populated area with more noise, you will massively appreciate the benefits that come with a tiled conservatory roof.

Lighting

A massive benefit of owning a conservatory without a solid conservatory is the experience and addition of natural lighting in your home. Conservatories are generally made from polycarbonate glass, which allows heat and natural light to enter your home. This is great for homes with rooms that are sheltered from the sun, as there will be less of a need to have your lights on during the day. Owning a conservatory also has its hidden benefits. If you own a conservatory without a solid roof and your home is in a remote area. It gives you an opportunity to lie back and relax in your conservatory at night and stargaze. This is unlikely to be possible in a home in a busy area due to light pollution. If you prefer having the extra lighting from a conservatory, then we wouldn’t recommend having a solid conservatory roof as it blocks out some natural lighting.

If you are convinced by the other benefits of having a solid conservatory roof but would still want natural lighting, then skylights are your solution. Skylights can simply be installed into your solid conservatory roof to allow extra lighting and extra air to your conservatory. Call us today on 01670 613906 to find out more about the installation of skylights with tiled conservatory roofs.

Appearance

This is very opinion based. Many people do not choose to have a solid conservatory roof installed on their conservatory as they believe it will spoil its traditional look. This opinion is more popular among owners of Edwardian and Victorian style conservatory owners. Conservatories have been around for a few hundred years and the traditional style is to be entirely made of glass. This is because they were originally used as greenhouses or sunrooms, which is a very uncommon use for a conservatory in this day and age, although it is still possible for them to be used for this function. Having modern furniture in a traditional building or design has been a common trend in the past decade or so, which is potentially a reason why conservatory installation has become increasingly popular. New conservatory designs and ideas are posted across the internet each day.

Solid or Guardian roofs can pretty much make your conservatory look more like an extension rather than a conservatory. This will basically remove the traditional feeling of a conservatory. To some people, this is a reason why despite the benefits, they will still not consider buying a solid conservatory roof, however, for a large proportion of conservatory owners it is a major selling point. In recent years, more people have converted to being more interested in having a solid conservatory roof as they are fully customisable and give you more freedom to decorate. As previously mentioned, having a solid conservatory roof is like an extension and the interior can look like an extra room. Having a solid ceiling can allow you to have more freedom to decorate.

Are you interested in a solid conservatory roof?

If you are convinced by any of the benefits included in this post, feel free to download our brochures or visit our showroom in Cramlington for inspiration. At our showroom, you will also have the opportunity to apply for a free quote for what you want to have installed to your home. For more information, call us today on 01760 710050.

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