Search Articles Local Directory Product Directory Name Search

Glass Conservatories

Glass conservatories can be an excellent addition to any home, allowing for more light and space, and giving you extra living area.  Read on to learn more.

Why Have A Glass Conservatory?

A glass conservatory can be a great addition to your home.  Not only does it add significant resale value, it also improves the look of your home.  You will also add some valuable living space and be able to use space and light to optimal levels.  A glass conservatory also allows the outdoors to come into your home without the inconvenient temperature changes.

Considerations When Building a Glass Conservatory

If you have decided to build a glass conservatory, you will need to check with your local council to find out what kind of permits and permission you will need.  Once you have gotten the go ahead, you can begin choosing where the conservatory will be located.  Because of the large amounts of glass used, the positioning is vital.  The conservatory can face in any direction but it will depend on the local climate patterns, as well as what you will be using the conservatory for.  For example, there is no point placing a conservatory to the west of the house if you plan to use it in the afternoons and evenings – the afternoon heat will make it uncomfortable.  Be aware, however, that there are a variety of glass products that can reduce the impact of external temperatures as well as control the impact of the sun’s rays.

Types of Glass that Can be Used in a Glass Conservatory

When you are building a glass conservatory, the correct glass is probably the most important consideration.  There have been many technological innovations in glass, and the type of glass you choose will affect how much you enjoy the conservatory.  Low emissivity (Low E) glass has a microscopic metal coating that allows sunlight to come through from the outside and reflects heat back from the inside.  This has an insulating effect, allowing the sun to enter the conservatory and also reflecting heat from a heat source back into the conservatory.  Low E glass can bump up the qualities of double glazing to make it as effective as triple glazing.

Argon-filled glass is made up of two pieces of glass sealed together with argon gas between them.  The argon has much higher insulating values than air and functions like conventional fibreglass insulation except that it is invisible.  It is often used with a Low E coating.

In summer, glass that has solar control can help to prevent heat build up by significantly reducing the amount of heat that is allowed to pass into the conservatory.  When the ventilators are closed in winter, the glass lets in enough light and heat to help the conservatory stay warm.

A glass conservatory comes with one major hassle – cleaning the glass.  There are self-cleaning glass products available to make the job so much easier for you.  The sun’s rays break down the dirt that collects on the glass and when it rains, the debris is washed away.  The surface is quick-drying, ensuring that the glass is left streak free and that your view is unobscured.

Related Categories