Sunroom Heating and Cooling Options
Sunrooms are the perfect way to enjoy nature without letting bugs and raindrops ruin your day.
Through sunroom windows, you can feel the warmth of a spring day, view autumn foliage, and hear crickets chirp on a summer night.
But to truly enjoy the four seasons inside your sunroom, you need to consider heating and cooling for your indoor sanctuary.
With help from Carrier Colorado and our network of Carrier dealers, you can begin using your sunroom year-round. Click our Find A Dealer link to choose a pro with heating and cooling strategies for your sunroom.
Our network members can install heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment that suits your comfort and budget needs. They also maintain and repair all HVAC makes and models.
Ask a Carrier dealer which heating and cooling option is best for your Denver home.
Should You Extend Ductwork?
Depending on the size of your sunroom and your HVAC system’s heating and cooling capability, you may be able to extend ductwork instead of installing new equipment.
A Carrier dealer can tell you if that is even possible. If you own a free-standing sunroom in your backyard, heating it with your existing HVAC system is not possible.
If your sunroom is attached to your home, adding or extending air ducts may serve your needs. However, ductwork may be large and bulky, requiring extensive changes to your home.
To add air ducts, you may need to open walls or the floor and cut through drywall. The invasive installation may not be worth the trouble. Extending ductwork is not feasible if your HVAC system cannot handle the added heating and cooling load.
Instead, consider an energy-efficient ductless mini split.
Add a Mini Split to Your Sunroom
One of the best features of a ductless mini split is its ability to heat and cool. When in cooling mode, it is like an air conditioner.
It contains the same components as an air conditioner, including evaporator and condenser coils, a compressor, fans, and tubing filled with refrigerant. It also works the same way. It extracts heat from the air inside your home and moves it to the outdoors via refrigerant.
It also contains a valve that reverses the direction the refrigerant circulates, turning it into a heater. When in heating mode, it extracts heat from the outdoor air and sends it into your home.
The conditioned air, whether hot or cool, blows out of an indoor unit about the size of a long, sleek duffle bag. The unit hangs high on the wall and connects to the outdoor compressor unit with an electrical cord and refrigerant tubing. It responds to a hand-held remote controller for temperature adjustment.
Carrier offers a wide range of ductless mini split heat pumps for year-round comfort and ductless air conditioners for cooling only.
Ductless mini splits are highly efficient, and you can claim 30 percent of the cost on your federal taxes up to $2,000 if you install one by Dec. 31, 2032.
Install a Ceiling Fan
A ceiling fan will not add or remove heat from your home but will help distribute conditioned air to help you feel warmer or cooler.
Run the fan counterclockwise in the summer to create a cooling breeze. Operate it clockwise to help push warm air near the fan toward the floor. Remember to turn it off when you exit your sunroom.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) suggests choosing a ceiling fan certified by ENERGY STAR® because they are up to 40 percent more efficient than conventional models.
Heating Options for Sunrooms
A gas fireplace, Franklin-style gas stove, or wood-burning stove can provide a cozy ambience and warmth.
Electric radiant floor heat consists of cables or heating mats placed under floor coverings such as tile, wood, or vinyl flooring. It is a good idea to install radiant heat during a remodel since you will need to tear out the existing flooring.
Install electric baseboard heaters along the baseboard of your sunroom. You can purchase portable heaters that plug into outlets or install permanent heaters.
Prepare Your Sunroom
Before installing a heating and cooling system, upgrade insulation, caulk windows, and consider adding window film that blocks ultraviolet (UV) rays. Also, use drapes and blinds strategically.
Close them on south-facing windows during the day in the summer and open them to let the sun heat the room in winter.
Use Your Sunroom Year-Round
Through our Carrier Colorado directory, you can find a Carrier dealer in Colorado, to help you choose the best heating and cooling system for your sunroom. Click our Find A Dealer link to get started.