AEC,

Mine is a Four Season's room - they no longer have an office in Omaha, but they may still be around in other parts of the country. I got a few quotes and many of those that tout building sunrooms tried to talk me out of floor to ceiling glass, and some wouldn't even consider doing roof glass. The roof glass, I'm sure, is tempered. We get hail storms around here every year, and I have yet to have any crack or break. But here is one very good suggestion - the Four Season's folks tried to talk me into a coating on the glass that would cut down on the hot rays of the sun. I refused that on the side glass (I was afraid it would also cut down on the flower making rays...), but took it on the roof glass. I think that was a good move because when the sun is at its hottest overhead, the greenhouse doesn't get much hotter than the outside temp. Other people I know who have greenhouses complain that the temp in the GH can be 125 on a sunny day! YUCK! Bad for me, bad for plants! Now some of that is probably also that mine is on the east side of the house. If it was the west, it would probably heat up more in there in the afternoons/evenings.

I don't cool the room, of course, so it's not very conducive to hanging out in this time of year, but the plants love the heat and humidity, so they're very happy. In fall and spring, just leaving the slider open and opening/shutting windows accordingly keeps the room comfy. However, one suggestion I would make is to get windows that have the easy-slide ball bearings in them. Lots of "crud" gets in the tracks (between having the windows open a lot in summer and dirt falling and blowing out of pots) and the kind I have are HARD to open and close, so I have to move my shelves to open and close them...

When it gets cold, I have a radiant heater I use, and when it gets REALLY cold, I sometimes have to supplement with a 2nd heater. If you can put a heat run in there, that would be ideal, but because our house is stucco, that wasn't really practical. At some point, I'd like to put permenant three phase radiant heat in there because it's cheaper to run. It is quite expensive to heat it in winter, and it would be cheaper to use some kind of gas heat, but I don't like the fact that gas heat will create a very dry environment - not good for the plants...

Though I'm sure some people would be driven crazy by how messy a GH can get, and having it attached to your living space wouldn't even be conceivable for many. But I love the fact that I can get up in the middle of the night and step out there to make sure the heaters haven't gone out in the winter. Seems like everyone I know who has a GH has had a heater go down and not known it until they've lost a bunch of plants.

Oh, and my kitties love going out there to sun themselves - even on these hottest of days!

Denise in Omaha

Very appreciated info. East is the way my 2 story high wall of windows and deck face and it gets warm enough, I can't imagine facing another direction. This type of greenhouse would make a perfect one story "bump out" onto the deck area. I'll make a point to remember the glass (good idea top only) ball bearings (I have a kitchen window that sticks because of soil, you're right but wouldn't have thought of that in a greenhouse!) Humidity here is always at least 50 percent, with snow or rain it's insane lol. As for heat we mainly use electric and a kerosene Monitor wall unit that vents outside for the last 10 years - no adverse effects to any plants and there is no smell. It would work perfect in a situation like this. I love the idea of it being a part of the house, this way it will also be a relaxing room to enjoy at any time of the day or month. I bet the cats would love it, they live for sun basking especially around plants. I will pass this info and picture onto the happy husband. Thanks for so much for sharing :D