Whether you have a conservatory, orangery or glass extension now summers arrived you’ll no doubt be revelling in the extra space that this area of you home provides. You’re enjoying spending time in it, taking in the views of your gardens, eating, entertaining friends and generally just enjoying being in there. Can the same be said for the autumn and winter months….? An overwhelming number of UK homeowners only spend time in their conservatory during summer and spring meaning that 50% of the year this additional space in your home is being neglected.

To help you enjoy your room all year round we have introduced a range of stylish energy efficient conservatory heat pump systems helping to heat it 365 days of the year in required! They are aesthetically pleasing so blend into the design of the room without being intrusive and feature a number of intelligent features including ‘Sleep Mode’ and Feeling Mode’. During ‘Sleep Mode’, the output of the system is gradually reduced until it switches itself off over a 7 hour period and ‘Feeling Mode’ senses any minor alteration in room or body temperature and signals the changes to the unit every 3 minutes so adjustments can be made regularly.

This addition to your conservatory means that you can use it for pretty much anything from socialising with friends, embracing your hobbies and relaxing to using it as a home office or work out area. The uses are endless so make sure your maximise your space during every season.

Conservatories and orangeries are a popular choice by homeowners looking to add space, as well as value, to their property. They both offer increased living space and provide a room to relax in whilst taking in the views from outside as well as extra space for entertaining family and friends. So what exactly is the difference? It’s a question we often get asked so here’s the answer.

Orangeries originated from Italy in the 17^th century when it was fashionable amongst the elite to have a separate room within (or near to) the main house to grown citrus fruits – hence the name orangery – to protect them from the elements during the winter months. Orangeries tend to feature more brickwork and less glass than that of a conservatory and subtly blend in with the masonry of the house itself. Our Orangeries are usually constructed using a fully structural engineer designed timber roof, which has a Firestone EPDM (single ply rubber) deck.

The shift to conservatories came when people started growing herb plants as shrubs as opposed to fruit. The extensive use of glass meant that the plants could grow at a rapid pace due to the direct light source flooding in through the glass roof and side panels. This is a feature that has carried through to the modern day structure and is the defining feature in differentiating between the two.

So to summarise, conservatories use minimal brickwork and more glass. Orangeries feature more brickwork, tend to be bigger and epitomise luxury.