Your Porch Shouldn't Take December Off
Here in Eastern North Carolina, we don't really get one porch season. We get two good ones, spring and fall, and two that send us back indoors. July brings heavy, sticky heat. December brings those raw, damp cold snaps. Ask most homeowners and they'll tell you the season they miss their porch most is winter, when a sunny afternoon outside would be perfect if it weren't for the chill.
That's usually when the sunroom conversation starts. Before you call anyone, it helps to know what you're really choosing between.
Option One: Porch Enclosure Panels
If you've looked at sunrooms, you've probably come across Eze-Breeze. It's a popular porch enclosure system, and plenty of companies offer it. It's worth understanding what it is.
Eze-Breeze is built with flexible vinyl panels in lightweight frames, made to slide up and down. It does a good job of keeping out pollen, rain and bugs, and it's affordable. For a lot of porches, that's all anyone needs.
What it isn't is a window. There's no insulated glass and nothing designed to hold back real heat or cold. That means it can't do much about July or December, the two months people most want help with. The components are also on the lighter side, so parts can wear out or break over years of daily use.
None of that makes it a bad product. It just makes it a different product. If you want a room you can use all year, you'll want real windows.
Option Two: Real Windows, But Not Built for the Job
Some companies do install true windows in sunrooms, usually double-hung windows, the same kind you'd find in a bedroom. They're a step up in comfort and durability, and installers already know them inside and out.
The trouble is that a double-hung window was designed for a wall, not a room made of windows. Only half of it opens at a time. The sashes ride on a balance system, so taking them out isn't something most homeowners will try. And a wall of narrow units broken up by frames looks more like a house than a sunroom.
Option Three: Windows Chosen for a Sunroom
At Kenco, we install sliding windows from our Carolina Collection in our sunrooms, custom mulled together with transoms above. Here's why.
They look the part. Wide sliders and transoms give you broad, clean views with fewer frames in the way. It feels like a sunroom, not a hallway of windows.
They're easy to use. Sliding a sash sideways takes less effort than lifting one, which matters when you're opening ten windows on a nice day.
Both panels slide. On our sliders, either side can open, so you choose where the breeze comes in.
The sashes come right out. This is our favorite part. Our slider sashes sit in their tracks by gravity alone. There are no balances, springs or clips to deal with. Lift up, tilt out, and the sash is out. For spring and fall, you can pull them and enjoy a full, top-to-bottom screened porch. When July or December rolls around, they go right back in, and you've got a sealed, comfortable room again.
They're built to last. These are sturdy, insulated windows made to stand up to Carolina weather for decades, not just a few seasons.
The Bottom Line
You don't have to settle for a porch that only works half the year. Whether an enclosure panel is right for you or you want a true four-season room, the most important thing is knowing the difference before you sign.
If you'd like to see what a Carolina Collection sunroom could look like on your porch, give us a call. We're right here in Wilson, and we'd love to help you get your December back.
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