Can I Add a Fireplace to my Sunroom?
Fireplaces are popular sunroom upgrades because they simulate the experience of sitting around a campfire without having to deal with nuisances such as freezing temperatures, bugs, or sudden wind shifts blowing smoke into your face. If you have a sunroom and would like to add a fireplace, you likely have many options, but finding the one that’s right for your home will depend on a number of factors.
Ambience or Warmth?
The first thing to ask yourself is what will be the primary purpose of your fireplace? Will it be to provide warmth or create a focal point for friends and family can gather? If you live in a cold climate and want to get more use out of your three-season room, having a dependable source of radiant heat is a must. While a traditional masonry fireplace may be the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to heating a room, they are actually quite inefficient. Most of their warmth rises up the chimney, which is why you can sit relatively close to a fire in a hearth without discomfort. A gas fireplace may be a better option for heating a sunroom. Since they’re clean-burning and smokeless, they don’t require vents so their warmth isn’t funneled up and out of the room. They are also easy to install and more environmentally friendly than a traditional, wood-burning fireplace. Of course, if the pop, crackle, and flicker of a fire is what you’re really after, an electronic unit can provide all the glow without any of the hassles of a real fireplace.
Structural considerations
Another important factor when mulling fireplace options is the design of your sunroom. Some structures are not compatible with traditional masonry hearths. This is especially true for glass-roofed sunrooms such as solariums and conservatories because they do not permit the installation of a chimney. In such cases, a tabletop fireplace may be a viable alternative. These portable units are available in a wide variety of styles and use clean-burn fuels such as butane, ethanol, or propane. If your heart is set on a wood-burning model, you may want to consider a stove. Although not technically a fireplace, a wood-burning stove can provide plenty of heat as well as rustic charm. It will, however, still need a way to vent smoke outside, which can be achieved with a pipe rather than a masonry chimney
Pacific Patio’s expert installation team has been building sunrooms, decks, and pergolas for nearly three decades. If you live in San Diego or a nearby community and are ready to upgrade your home with a beautiful new addition, contact us today and schedule a no-obligation consultation with one of our design experts.
