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Our conservatories and orangeries are designed and built to the highest standards. We source and use the best materials in the industry that is why our conservatories and orangeries are superior when it comes to energy efficiency and thermal performance. If conservatories and orangeries are not installed properly and the materials are inferior then with time your home will not retain heat but lose heat, resulting in higher energy bills. That’s why it’s so important to make sure you invest in high-quality instalments and the best quality materials. At Orangeries UK we guarantee that we get the job done properly ensuring the best energy efficiency in the business.
While many people are attracted to the idea of having an orangery/conservatory extension on their home for added space and to increase their property’s value, they are often put off by experiencing old or outdated conservatories that either lose heat in the winter or get too hot in the summer. It is important to remember that conservatory technology has vastly changed in the last 10 years and modern conservatories now use new technology which regulates temperatures, meaning you can have your dream conservatory/orangery that maintains the ideal temperature no matter the season.
The following tips can make your design more energy-saving and help you cut down on heating costs. Having a well-designed conservatory will help prevent heat loss in the winter months, reducing your carbon footprint.
Would you like a free, no obligation instant quote? Call us on 0333 335 5051 or fill out our online form to get an idea of costs.
If you would like a south-facing conservatory, you will get direct sunlight, which could, as a result, get hot in the summer and will need effective ventilation. North-facing conservatories, however, may be cooler and will probably need to be well-heated. You may want to consider the direction your extension will face when creating your initial orangery and conservatory design plan.
It is well known that double glazed windows or even triple glazing are much more energy-efficient than single glazing. Single glazing shouldn’t be used as far as possible for effective energy efficiency. In order for glazing to be rated as energy-efficient, it must be rated as ‘C’ or higher by the WER (Window Energy Rating). At Orangeries Uk we always use double and triple glazing as a minimum requirement.
However, you may not be aware that Low-E glass is another option that is up to three times more energy-efficient than single and traditional double glazing.
Low-e glass ultimately stands for low-emissive glass and is basically a glass-coated in the reflective material that reflects heat back into your room and therefore reduces heat transfer.
Other types of glass you may want to consider for your energy-saving orangery design plans are:
Laminated glass is basically a sheet of glass that features one or more sheets of glass layered with another piece of glass or glazing material.
Toughened safety glass offers extra strength, safety or heat resistance and can offer another option of glass for your orangery or conservatory.
If you already have an orangery or conservatory installed and it does not retain heat very well, perhaps getting cold during the winter months and allowing excess heat to escape, there are some affordable methods of making your orangery more energy efficient. These include:
If you’re investing in a conservatory for the first time, then you’ll know by now that it can be costly. But if you’re going to spend money on the new addition then it is best to do it the right way the first time, you don’t want to take shortcuts and then be stuck with another costly bill to repair a bad job. With Orangeries Uk we use the best materials so you won’t have to worry about extra costs further down the line, we do a superior job the first time around.
There are so many roofing options, narrowing down which is the best for you really depends on your conservatory, your situation and your budget.
The other question you will want to ask yourself when choosing your conservatory roofing option is whether the roofing material is expensive? Which conservatory roof option is the strongest? Or is the material you’re using to replace your conservatory roof watertight?
We have all the answers you need to determine which is the best conservatory roofing material for you.
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Replacing a conservatory roof can be a costly business, setting you back anywhere between £2,000 to £6,000. The actual cost will depend on the size of your conservatory roof and what type of roofing material you choose.
Before 2010, the building regs surrounding conservatory roofs were quite relaxed, stating that conservatory roofs only had to contain at least 75% glazed materials, resulting in low-grade roofs, or conservatory roofs being made from polycarbonate materials. This meant that a lot of manufacturers tried to keep costs low by giving you the cheapest roof possible. But that meant the roof wouldn’t last, and your conservatory was typically hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter.
Luckily for you, the building industry has evolved and the types of conservatory roofing materials have expanded, but that also means the costs have increased. However, saying that, a tiled roof or a glazed roof will last you a lot longer than a polycarbonate roof. For an exact quote to replace your conservatory roof, it’s best to contact us.
At Orangeries UK we offer timber conservatory roofs, polycarbonate conservatory roofs and glass conservatory roofs.
A timber conservatory roof is a high-performance roof and a great replacement conservatory roof, particularly if your current conservatory roof is pitched low, or if your conservatory is no longer capable of bearing the weight of a new roof. Using a timber frame will support your conservatory and elongate its life.
A polycarbonate conservatory roof is the cheapest conservatory roof to construct, as well as letting in lots of light and being cheap to upkeep, they also have a lifespan of 15-20 years. The downside is they have no thermal efficiency and so your conservatory can become boiling hot in summer and freezing cold in winter. And it’s noisy in the rain.
Replacing or constructing your conservatory roof from glass is the most popular option for the majority of our customers. Not least because the glass conservatory roofs that we offer have excellent thermal properties meaning they not only insulate, but advances in glazing technology mean that a glass roof can regulate the temperature in your conservatory, ensuring it’s a comfortable temperature all year round.
A glass roof also allows the maximum amount of natural light into the room below, it’s durable and it has low maintenance costs, as long as you keep it clean, plus it comes with a life expectancy of 15-20 years. You can even choose to install tinted glass to prevent any UV damage to your furniture.
Tiling your conservatory roof will ensure that your conservatory is truly a part of your home. However, the downsides are that you reduce the amount of natural light that can come into your home. Saying that the thermal efficiency of a tiled conservatory roof means that you reap the rewards in terms of the overall energy efficiency of your home. Plus it means that you can use your conservatory all year round and enjoy its ambient temperature whatever the weather outside.
If you wanted to add in more light you could always include roof lights or skylights into your tiled conservatory roof.
However, a tiled conservatory roof is the most expensive option out of all the conservatory roofing material options, because it has higher associated installation costs, that and if you’re replacing your existing conservatory roof you might need to consider reinforcing the conservatory walls, as most existing conservatories won’t have been built to withstand the weight of a tiled roof. But the cost will be a worthwhile investment for your home as you can expect a tiled roof to last up to 50 years.
As experts in orangery and conservatory manufacturing and installations, we are often contacted about the advantages of opting for a conservatory over an orangery and vice versa.
In order to understand whether to opt for an orangery or a conservatory and which one is a better option to suit your property, it is important to recognise the differences between the two.
A conservatory is very similar to an orangery in that they are both extensions of a property and feature glass as the main element, however, there are slight differences between the two. The most apparent difference is, of course, that an orangery tends to feature more brickwork than a conservatory which is primarily made of glass, joined together by UPVC or hardwood panels.
As structures mainly consisting of glass, both orangeries and conservatories tend to be colder in the winter and warmer in the summer.
Therefore, the fact that orangeries have more solid wall and roofing than a conservatory means they do indeed in general manage to retain more heat than a conservatory.
So, if you are worried about a conservatory getting too hot in the summer and cold in the winter, you may be better off opting for an orangery structure.
While orangeries and conservatories tend to be a cooler part of the house in the winter period, there are indeed ways to make them warmer.
These methods include:
You probably already heat your home using radiators since they are an effective mode of heating. Extending the central heating system into an orangery is often cheaper than installing underfloor heating. In addition, radiators have a lot of further advantages.
Not only are they cheaper to install, but radiators also have a quick response time and allow independent control of the temperature of the room if they have a Thermostatic Radiator Valve.
The disadvantages of using radiators to heat your orangery are, firstly, that they take up a lot of wall space which minimises space for wall decorations, shelving and furniture. In addition, because orangeries usually have limited wall space, it may prove to be difficult for your orangery to fit in large enough radiators for ample heating output.
Also, pipe runs may be needed through other rooms which complicate the installation, maybe unsightly and require further adjustments.
Finally, radiators heat by convection, where heat rises, rather than circulates, so the floor stays cooler.
Electric underfloor heating warms the orangery from the floor up. It is expensive to install but cheaper than water-based methods. There are two types of electric underfloor heating, one using an in-screed cable, and the other using a heat mat.
With the in-screed method, a continuous cable is laid on top of the floor insulation prior to screeding (laying the cement mix). The cable can then heat the whole screed which goes on to act as a large thermal store. Once operating temperature is reached, energy can be maintained through a small amount of heat. A modern orangery ideally has a heating output of around 200 W/m².
Electric Underfloor Heating, is where a heat mat is fitted after the floor is screeded but before the floor is tiled. The heat mat system has a quick response time, but no thermal store so will cost more to run. What’s more, the heat mat will warm the floor but may struggle to heat the whole orangery on colder days.
Wet underfloor heating has been regarded as the ultimate method of heating an orangery. It basically means that the floor is heated by hot water, which comes from a boiler system, and is, ultimately, a radiator that is fitted underneath the floor surface.
Wet underfloor heating has the most comfortable heating effect because it keeps your feet warm through the floor surface for warm feet, cool head effect. It is perfect for ceramic or tiled floors to keep your feet cosy and warm.
In addition, it is a hidden heating system so does not cause you to lose wall space and is simple to install during the build of an orangery. It is also an efficient mode of heating. Underfloor heating puts little pressure on the central heating boiler. The whole of the screed (the cemented, smooth floor surface) acts as a large thermal store.
On the other hand, though, wet underfloor heating has a higher installation cost than both electric underfloor heating and radiators. Also, note that the installation of wet underfloor heating has added complications since the system’s control gear, manifold and pump require boxing in and wiring must return to the boiler. Pipework is also necessary and will need covering up.
For some people, the idea of a conservatory or orangery getting too hot in the summer is even more daunting than a room that is too cold in winter.
Therefore, it is useful to familiarise yourself with ways that you can cool your orangery or conservatory.
Some of the methods of cooling your orangery are as follows:
Of course, many of the points above that detail how to cool your orangery contrast with the methods of heating your orangery and, therefore, you will need to prioritise the methods that will suit your situation the best.
Although most people will be under the impression that blinds trap heat inside an orangery, in actual fact, blinds can also keep the heat out.
In addition, it is possible to have an individual blind built into the frame of each window so that you can customize how much sunlight and heat enters your orangery.
Because the windows of an orangery tend to vary in shape and size, it is generally recommended to get an expert to help you when choosing, fitting and installing your new blinds.
A fan seems like a fairly obvious choice of cooling down a room, but many people often forget the simple fixes!
You could use a temporary fan during the summer months as a cheaper option for cooling your conservatory. Or, as a more permanent solution, you could have a ceiling fan installed.
A heat reduction film is a popular alternative to blinds. A heat reduction film is applied to the roof of your orangery in order to reduce the amount of heat and light that enters the room.
Windows and doors can allow more air to flow into your orangery and, as a result, keep the room at a comfortable, cooler temperature.
Ensuring good ventilation through your orangery’s windows and doors is a cheaper method of cooling your conservatory.
However, if you wanted to make an investment into having good ventilation in your orangery, roof vents can ensure extra air is let into the room and are a very effective method of cooling.
That said, having a roof vent installed adds an element of risk since it creates another point in the roof that could be susceptible to leaking.
The main advantage of using air conditioning in your orangery is the fact that it can be used during the summer and the winter months to ensure your orangery remains at a comfortable temperature, no matter what time of year it is.
In addition, air conditioning can reduce humidity and also improves air quality, since it allows the air to circulate. Most air conditioning systems have air-purifying filtration systems to reduce bacteria, dust, house mites and pollen, keeping the room fresher and healthier.
What’s more, having air conditioning allows you to close your windows and doors and will, ultimately, improve the security of your home as well as preventing unwanted insects.
Finally, although air conditioning is thought of as the most expensive option to cool a property, modern air conditioning systems use highly efficient technology that uses up to 80% less power than electric heating.
If you would like any more information on cooling your orangery in summer and keeping it warm in winter then please contact us at Orangeries UK.
Would you like a free, no obligation instant quote? Call us on 0333 335 5051 or fill out our online form to get an idea of costs.