The experience of the pandemic and the subsequent work from home rules have made many homeowners reconsider their home environment. Being forced to home school or balance work and family responsibilities within restricted home spaces has meant that all rooms in the house have been used more than ever over the past couple of years.
The conservatory has become an integral part to creating a more useable living space within a household. In summer heat can rapidly build up the temperature inside a conservatory until it is simply too warm to enjoy in comfort. Conversely, in the winter, users simply can’t keep the conservatory space adequately heated because all the expensive heat vanishes.
To test the nation’s actual conservatory experience, we conducted a survey among homeowners who have conservatories, and our findings make for interesting reading.
Nearly half (40%) said they do not spend time in their conservatories all year round. More (43%) said the conservatory is often a ‘wasted room’ as it is just too hot to enjoy the summer months or uncomfortably cold in winter. Just 30% said they enjoyed a comfortable living temperature in their conservatories all year round.
The primary reason why conservatory spaces are under-used in many homes is an inability to create comfortable living conditions. The result is many simply give up and retreat to alternative parts of the property for a lot of the year.
But it seems people are seeking better solutions so they can connect with their prized conservatories once again.
Nearly two thirds (61%) of those who took part in the survey said they would use the conservatory a lot more if they could control the variances of temperature. Just over a third believe that if the roof was better and the room temperature more comfortable, it would lead to an increased amount of used space in the home.
The proven solution to the conservatory temperature conundrum is the Equinox solid conservatory roof.
The key to the guaranteed comfort that an Equinox solid roof can deliver lies in its well insulated design. Known as a ‘Warm Roof’ design, it is one that keeps heat in right up to the ceiling so the whole space continually retains a comfortable temperature level.
An equinox solid conservatory roof is up 15 times better at keeping heat in than other conservatory roofs, yet circa 75% of the market still have roofs that do not perform like Equinox. Importantly, in current times, the high standard of insulation produced by the solid roof tiles can be an energy efficiency bonus for hard pressed homeowners worried about escalating energy prices.
Instead of traditional slate or clay roof tiles, there are four tile options for use with the Equinox roof: Envirotile, a precision manufactured, recycled polymer lightweight tile; Slateskin – a slate effect GRP sheet tile for an authentic slate look, composite slate tiles and a versatile steel shingle tile. They are a fraction of the weight of traditional roofing solutions found on conservatories, and the overall Equinox system can work seamlessly with existing conservatory structures, whatever the size or shape.
And temperature comfort does not come at the expense of light.
The roof system has generous skylights that allow natural daylight to flood into conservatory spaces. Owners can also opt for the Equinox Vega solution, which features large glazed areas with up to 1000mm wide of natural light that deliver brighter, sunlit conservatories and the impression of even more space.
If homeowners are to reclaim their much loved conservatories, whether in the height of the summer heat or the frozen depths of winter, the specification of a solid conservatory roof system such as Equinox can help transform an infrequently used room into a welcoming, comfortable and high performing living space for all the family to enjoy.