Building a screened porch or an enclosed 3 season room can provide several benefits for better enjoyment of your home. These outdoor extensions of your home typically allow for sunlight and fresh air, while providing a barrier against bugs and weather. They extend the use of your outdoor living space during the hot summer days as well as are surprisingly useful during the fall’s often pleasant extended cooler seasons that we can experience here in the mid-west.

screened prorch

Other than a simple deck, screened porches are the most economical of the outdoor living spaces. “You can build Screened Porches and 3 Season’s Rooms on piers which is less expensive than an addition with a conditioned space,” Advance Designer Founder and President Todd Jurs says. “Overall, screen porches are a great way to expand your living space without breaking the bank.”

People are often concerned about bugs and critters when adding an outdoor space. “It’s natural to be concerned about bugs coming up from the underside of the porch, but we either add a screen or galvanized metal underneath the floor to keep critters out,” Todd says. Most 3 seasons rooms today are built with composite decking, making them long-lasting and beautiful with the look of real wood. Real treated cedar is often used for creating beautiful interior ceilings with interesting patterns and beautiful natural, painted, or lightly stained woodwork.

Screened Porch or 3 or 4 Seasons Room:
What’s the Difference?

3-Seasons rooms and screened porches are very similar, but with a few differences. Screen porches are usually just designed with screens and used during summer weather as they let the fresh air pass right through the space. In a 3 Season’s Room, lightweight adjustable track windows are installed for use in the cooler seasons, and when kept closed keep the space relatively clean. The windows increase the use of the space into the spring and fall seasons (hence the term “3” seasons!). 4 Season’s rooms are typically enclosed and conditioned to be used year-round.

Screen porches are simple spaces usually with few amenities; think deck with screens. 3 Season’s rooms are not typically insulated or air-conditioned. 3 or 4 seasons rooms typically have additional features that give the space longevity throughout the year. If glass is used it typically a single pane tempered glass with low energy efficiency, and 4 season’s rooms, because they are fully enclosed, must have added HVAC. Both 3 and 4 Season’s rooms have lots of design flexibility with added features such as fireplaces, lighting and fans, and entertainment like televisions, wet bars, and indoor grilling stations.

The advantages of working with Advance Design are enormous when adding a screened porch or a 3 or 4 Seasons Room. From design, to permit, to construction, to warranty; Advance Design has everything you need in its Common Sense Remodeling process. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may need to build the foundation system to handle full enclosure in the future, even if you don’t intend to enclose it as many screened porches are converted by future homeowners. Advance Design can help you determine what your village requires, and build it in whatever way will satisfy your local code requirements.