Answers
Straight answers about conservatories
Each answer starts with the short version, usually a number, then explains it. Where the number comes from our Comfort Calendar model it says so: 104 towns, two years of hourly weather, one typical room: 14 m² floor (4.0 m by 3.5 m), three glazed sides, south facing.
- 33°C
- July 3pm under polycarbonate
- 25°C
- the same hour under panels
- 33%
- smaller heater needed on a freezing evening
Heat and cold
- AnswersHow hot does a conservatory get?Peak summer temperatures under polycarbonate, glass and insulated panel roofs, from two years of hourly weather in over 100 English towns, and what cools them.Read it
- WinterHow cold does a conservatory get in winter?An unheated conservatory sits a few degrees above the garden on a winter night and can touch freezing in a hard frost. Here is why, and what warming it costs.Read it
- ComfortWhat temperature should a conservatory be?Aim for 18 to 21°C when you sit in a conservatory, 16 to 18°C to sleep and at least 5°C when empty in winter. Why 25°C is where it stops being pleasant.Read it
- The physicsWhy is my conservatory hotter than outside?Sunlight gets in through the roof as light, turns to heat on the floor and cannot get back out. Why a conservatory runs 10°C over the garden, and what stops it.Read it
- The physicsWhat is solar gain in a conservatory?Solar gain is sunshine passing through glazing and turning into heat indoors. Why a conservatory traps so much of it, and how much comes in through the roof.Read it
- Heat lossHow much heat is lost through a conservatory roof?In our model the roof is 41% of the heat loss of a polycarbonate conservatory. Watts lost per roof type, what a panel roof changes, and why walls still matter.Read it
- SummerDoes an insulated roof keep a conservatory cool?Mostly, yes: our model cuts too-warm hours by three quarters under an insulated panel roof. What it fixes, what it leaves alone and whether colour matters.Read it
- AspectWhich way should a conservatory face?South and west facing conservatories overheat most, north facing ones run coldest. Why the roof matters more than the direction, with figures from our model.Read it
Heating, cooling and costs
- HeatingThe best way to heat a conservatoryHeater types compared by running cost at the current electricity price cap, how big a heater you need, and why warm air heaters lose out under a clear roof.Read it
- Running costsWhat is the cost to heat a conservatory per hour?From about 13p to 58p an hour on electric, depending on the weather and the roof. A table by outside temperature, the sum for your heater and the yearly bill.Read it
- CoolingIs air conditioning in a conservatory worth it?A split unit can work, a portable one rarely does. What cooling a glass room costs to run, why a clear roof overwhelms most units, and when a new roof wins.Read it
- FloorsWill a new roof warm up a cold conservatory floor?A new roof warms the air, not the slab. Why a cold conservatory floor stays cold, and what fixes it: rugs, warm underlay, floor insulation and draught fixes.Read it
Living in the room
- Using the roomHow many months can you use a conservatory?About nine months of waking hours under polycarbonate with a heater, just over eleven under an insulated panel roof. Where the lost weeks go, month by month.Read it
- Using the roomCan you use a conservatory as a bedroom?Yes, with the right roof, blinds, heating, fresh air and a way out. Hot summer nights, winter condensation, early sunrises and what a new roof will not change.Read it
- Using the roomCan you watch TV in a conservatory?Yes, once you deal with the light overhead. Why screens wash out under a clear roof, where to put the TV, which sets cope best, and what heat and rain do to it.Read it
- PetsIs a conservatory too hot for dogs in summer?On sunny days, yes. A clear roofed conservatory passes 30°C for hundreds of hours a year. Which pets are most at risk, a safe routine and the warning signs.Read it
- Plants and lightWill plants grow under a solid conservatory roof?Most houseplants grow happily under a solid conservatory roof because the glass walls still bring in light. Sun lovers need the brightest wall or a roof light.Read it
- Damp and smellsWhy does my conservatory smell damp?A conservatory smells damp when water sits somewhere it cannot dry: on a cold roof, inside old sheets, in a wall or a rug. How to find the source and fix it.Read it
Your roof and the fitting
- Know your roofIs my conservatory roof polycarbonate or glass?Five quick tests tell polycarbonate from glass: the tap sound, ribs at the edge, the spacer bar, sheet thickness and flex. Takes two minutes and a step ladder.Read it
- Know your roofHow old is my conservatory roof?Paperwork, a date on the spacer bar, sheet thickness and worn seals all point to a roof's age. How to read each clue, and why its condition matters more.Read it
- LooksWill a solid roof change how my house looks?From the garden a panel roof changes the colour and texture on top, not the shape. How the solid roof look depends on colour, trims and the view from upstairs.Read it
- Old roof disposalWhat happens to the old conservatory roof?Old conservatory roof disposal is part of the job: the sheets or glass leave on the day in our van and go to a recycler where one takes them. No skip needed.Read it
- Fitting dayConservatory roof fitting day at home: do you need to be in?You only need to be in as each day begins and ends, not all day. Access, an empty room and a power socket are what the team needs on a roof fitting day.Read it
- WeatherCan you swap a conservatory roof when it is raining?Light rain rarely stops a roof swap, but steady rain and strong wind do. How the team plans round the forecast and keeps the room dry while the frame is open.Read it
Missing a question?
Email hello@warmlid.co.uk and we will answer it, here if it helps other people too. Shorter questions about prices and fitting are on the FAQ page.
Ready to stop guessing?
Answer a few quick questions about your conservatory and get a guide price on screen. A surveyor then measures up and fixes it in writing.