One of the most common complaints about older conservatories is that they are too hot in the summer months, which means many households don’t use this additional space as often as they would like.
In many cases, this overheating is caused by solar gain.
But if this is a problem you experience with your conservatory, what can you do to tackle the issue? Let’s start by exploring what solar gain is.
What is solar gain?
Solar gain is a term that’s used to describe both the heat and light that builds up naturally in your home as a result of it being exposed to sunlight.
In some cases, this can be highly beneficial, as it provides a free source of both heat and light without the need to use as much artificial light or heating systems.
Buildings such as those constructed using the Passivhaus approach harness solar gain to reduce the need for using other forms of heating and lighting, for instance.
However, in conservatories it can become a challenge in the summer if the space heats up to the point where the temperature is uncomfortable.
Many older conservatories suffer from high temperatures due to solar gain in the summer months, because they have glass roofs as well as large windows and the glazing is not as energy efficient as modern options.
How can you tell how efficient your conservatory windows are for preventing solar gain?
In Europe, the main way to work out how efficient a particular window or glazing will be at preventing solar gain is to look at its G-value.
A G-value is the total solar heat gain from a pane of glass, plus the incident solar radiation.
The first figure refers to the energy transferred directly through the glass, while the second figure (the incident solar radiation) is about how a pane of glass absorbs heat and then radiates that through the space.
For the likes of conservatories – and especially those that face south and get a lot of sun – you will want glazing with a low G-value (less than 0.5).
You may also see U-values applied to building components like windows and roofs. This value measures heat transfer but not exclusively from solar gain.
That means U-values are a helpful indication of energy efficiency, because they show you how much energy could escape from your home, as well as how much it could absorb on a warm day, for instance.
What kind of glazing should I use for a conservatory upgrade?
If you’ve decided that it’s time to upgrade your conservatory, you should begin by considering what type of glazing will be most appropriate for your home.
Finding out the G-value and U-value of differing window options is a good place to start. In many cases, the most energy-efficient option will be triple-glazed windows as they prevent too much heat escaping during the colder months while preventing too much solar gain in the summer.
If the temperature of your conservatory is rarely comfortable, you may even want to consider a more significant revamp that involves replacing some of the fully glazed panels with walls, as well as swapping out your transparent roof for a solid roof.
Why could replacing my conservatory roof change its temperature?
One of the simplest ways to reduce solar gain in your conservatory is to replace your glazed roof with a solid roof.
This might sound like it will defeat the purpose of having a conservatory, but a solid roof doesn’t mean that you don’t have any windows. Instead, you will replace the old panels with a combination of a tiled roof and large sunlights, ensuring plenty of daylight still enters your space.
This has a number of benefits, not least that it will help to keep your conservatory a comfortable temperature all year round.
Because solid conservatory roofs are more complicated to install than their UPVC counterparts, they are more prone to issues like leaks if they are not installed by an experienced builder.
This is why it’s so important to seek expert support for any conservatory roof panel replacement you are considering, and especially if you are transitioning from having a glazed to a solid roof on your conservatory.
If you do so, you are likely to notice an immediate difference in the temperature in this space. As we are just moving into the summer months in the UK, now is the ideal time to explore making upgrades to your conservatory so you can enjoy it in the warmer months, as well as when the weather cools down.