Bugs and bad weather are just some of the things that stop people from spending a lot of time on their patios or porches. They’re also the main reason why people start looking for a porch enclosure to make their outdoors more habitable. If you’re installing your first sunroom or porch or patio enclosure, then you probably feel a little lost right now. Let’s get you familiar with the four main types of porch enclosures so you can choose the one that you’re most comfortable with.

Screen rooms are for people who don’t want to be secluded from the natural environment but hate insects. A screen room utilizes screen frames and panels around your deck or sunroom to keep the insects out. These rooms are often made of fiberglass, making them almost completely invisible so you can gaze into the wild and everything happening outside your home with clarity.

The breeze and natural atmosphere will still be able to get through your patio. Insects, on the other hand, won’t be able to get in. Screens rooms are optimal if you live in a hot and humid environment and are having a hard time dealing with all the bugs.

Three-season rooms aren’t really climate controlled so you’ll have to take additional measures to keep your patio weather tolerable. If it’s really hot outside, some of that heat will be transmitted to your porch so you’ll probably want to add a ceiling fan to keep things a little cool. In the colder months, you might find sitting in your porch to be chilly. In which case, investing in a heating unit would be wise.

It’s not often recommended for people who live in areas where temperatures can get really cold to go for three-season rooms. They’re most suitable for places where spring, summer, and fall take up most of the year.

Those who want something that they can enjoy all year long should choose four-season rooms. Four season rooms are made of double-pane insulated glass windows and door rolling panes. These rooms are weather resistant as well as bug resistant so outside changes will have a minimal impact on them. Building a four-season room is basically adding an extra space to your house where you can spend countless hours with your family and friends. Since this type of porch enclosure is insect and weather resistant, you can spend as much time in them as you want regardless of the season and outdoor weather.

Solariums are made solely of glass and this includes not just the walls, but also the roof. They’re great if you like observing the sky at night and make for a really unique experience.

As you can see, there are plenty of options when it comes to building a porch enclosure. You just have to decide which one you find most attractive and would like to add to your home. One major deciding factor will be where you live.