Sunspaces – especially those attached outside the main home – are extremely popular. However, like all things, you need to carefully consider the benefits and disadvantages rather than just jumping in and building one.

The advantages

• Sunspaces provide heat for themselves and adjacent rooms.
• They can reduce heat loss from the attached living area.
• They provide warm air for circulation.
• They can circulate that air through the exterior walls (an envelope house)
• Designs with solid common walls reduce glare and sunlight penetration.
• They provide extra living space.
• They can be used to grow plants year-round.
• They add value to the home and are aesthetically pleasing.

The disadvantages

• Sunspaces tend to overheat and are frequently sun-drenched.
• At night, they are often too cold to be habitable.
• Sunspaces frequently fail to provide extra heat to the home beyond their own walls.
• The warm air in a sunspace doesn't easily move sideways, so fans may be needed to circulate it through the home.
• Sunspaces are often lousy for growing plants – they overheat, they get sun-drenched, and they're cold at night.
• Unless the design is carefully considered and installation performed by experienced professionals, sunspaces may just provide a little extra warmth and no extra living space – but a great deal of extra construction cost.