Can I Use My Sunroom as a Guest Bedroom?
A sunroom is a great place to sit and relax after a long day. It’s also an ideal location to gather with family and friends for a meal or to entertain. But what if you want to use your sunroom as a bedroom? Is this type of conversion possible? Or even advisable? That depends on two factors: what kind of sunroom you have, and how often you intend to use it as a bedroom.
Turning your sunroom into a guest bedroom for occasional visits is a very different proposition than converting it into a bedroom that will be used every day. For a visitor spending just a few nights, adding a bed can be as easy as wheeling in a cot or adding a pullout couch. The major considerations to take into account are your guest’s comfort and privacy requirements. Sunrooms have a lot of windows, which makes them ideal for looking out at the world. Most people, however, would prefer the world not stare back at them. If your sunroom has tinted glass, privacy shouldn’t be an issue. If it doesn’t, considering adding strategically placed blinds or even a room partition to shield the sleeping area. Doing so will also help block out strong morning light, allowing your guest to snooze past sunrise.
You’ll also want to make sure your visitor is comfortable throughout the night. Three-season sunrooms are not climate controlled, making them susceptible to temperature fluctuations. A room that’s too cold or too warm is not conducive for sleeping. A four-season sunroom, on the other hand, is fully climate controlled by your home’s HVAC unit, so keeping guests comfortable no matter what time of year they visit shouldn’t be a problem. If you plan on having visitors on a regular basis, a four-season room is the better option.
Using your sunroom as a permanent bedroom is a bit more problematic. Building codes require every bedroom have at least one window that can be used for egress. For this reason, converting a conservatory- or solarium-style sunroom into a bedroom would require a major renovation. And since those types of sunrooms also lack well-insulated walls, heating and cooling them – even using the same system as the rest of your house – will be difficult. If you’re thinking about converting your sunroom into an additional bedroom, a more substantial structure such as a four-season patio sunroom would be a better choice.
At Pacific Patio, we have been providing and installing top-of-the-line sunrooms, pergolas, decks, and patio covers for homeowners in Southern California since opening our doors in 1989. If you would like one of our representatives to visit your San Diego home for a no-obligation consultation, contact us today.
