Lanai windows
 

Would you enclose lanai with single pane window at $10K or dual pane window at 18K?

Either way I assume I will need to install mini-split at another 5K.

Lanai has eastern exposure so no direct afternoon sun.

Suggestions/opinions?

Single pane - you'll never recoup the extra 8K in energy costs unless it starts snowing here a LOT!

Are windows and mini-splits that expensive ?

Mini splits are incredibly cheap - well under $1000.

The AC companies routinely charge 400% of the price PLUS installation costs. Min Splits are also very simple to install. But, this is TV, so go figure

Here's where I've always bought my AC stuff.. this particular model is the smallest but still massive overkill for a lanai.

🔥 9k BTU 18 SEER MrCool Advantage Ductless Heat Pump Split System 3rd Generation - 230v - HA18427 • Ingrams Water & Air

We converted our lanai to a Florida end of last year and put in double pain glass. We have a western exposure and thought the room would be unusable in the afternoon.

Will wait and see if we need to address A/C when the temp gets warmer.

Cost depends upon size of lanai but the price you threw out seems high unless it is huge.

We have been looking at preowned homes lately. What I can tell you is when we walked into a lanai with single pane or a double pane there has been a huge difference. Some single pane glass and the noise factor from just outside noise was very noticeable.
When we looked at homes with double pane if they backed up to a road there was a huge difference with noise factor, I would’ve gone with double pane in a heartbeat.
Same thing if it was just backing up to a neighbor I would go with a double pane. It’s not about worrying about winterizing for snow, lanais are for noise factors and dirt when you enclose. Go to some open houses with enclosed lanai.
So sit in your lanai and choose what is important noise factor from people, pool noises or traffic, then decide if $8000 is worth it.

Single pane vs double pane and mini splits
 

Double pane, with argon gas, provides good insulation, easy window washing and hurricane wind resistance. Single pane generally has one screen, where our three door sliders have two - single screen makes it hard to wash the outside of the windows. Being west facing, we still needed a shade for afternoon glare. Sound deadening, which is very good, was not a key feature for our installation. We're very happy with Custom Window's double pane solution at roughly $600 per linear ft. (2019 prices).

We chose a mini split that included both heat and cooling. Set a temp level and leave it alone all year (we also chose to spend more for the flush mount ceiling unit). Yes, the Mitsubishi mini is very expensive but it's essential to our daily use of the lanai. Munn's did a great job with the installation.

Slightly off issue - there is no insulation above the lanai (or the garage) so if you're enclosing and cooling, that will need to be addressed. Solar Guys will blow in insulation for a reasonable cost.

We chose the more expensive double pain thermal windows and I admit that I was skeptical that we could get by without air conditioning in that long room. We have a west facing lanai. But they did a stellar job keeping the heat out and the cold out. We have had it now for three years and have not felt that we needed to install a mini-split. We kept both sets of doors from the lanai to the house; sliders and French doors. We have one vent from the house through the newer pool bath which is connected now to the lanai.

I am very tight with money and it was hard for me to agree to paying more for something but this really was worth it.

We get protection from Hurricane strength wind from the heavier glass too.

We did single with tinting for about $5000. Our lanai is small, 2 doubles and one triple with a new door. Cook aluminum did ours.

I would definitely go with double pane windows for comfort, noise reduction, and to prevent condensation. The energy cost and payback calculation would not be a consideration to me.

Even though you have eastern exposure, you'll be happier with double pane windows. It gets hot here in the summer, even with eastern exposure, you'll have plenty of heat gain through single pane windows. Plus, double pane is much quieter. Worth the money IMHO.

We did single pane sliders(12x15) 4 sliders on each side. Upgraded fan and room stays comfortable. We do have sun most of the day.
Sliders custom windows, Fan Dans Fans

With single pane you will never have to replace them like some double pane windows when the seal breaks and they fog up

I am selling my home in Amelia. I enclosed my lanai with double pane plus changed all windows in the Amarillo to double hung, double pane high E. Made a huge difference in the cost of air conditioning.

Well we paid half up front for our double pane windows from Custom Windows in early November and we’re supposed to be installed Feb 01 of this year. After many trips to Custom Windows I am being told due to Supply chain issues they have no idea when they will be in. I also spoke with their supplier and was told due to Covid it could be possibly anywhere from 16 to 24 weeks. In short I would not order double pane at the moment at least until the Virus is somewhat stable.

You need to get several more bids. Those prices are way to high. I had double pane, tinted windows installed for $8k.

Keep shopping. Double paned glass is way overpriced. Typical COST to the dealer/installer should be no higher than $300-$400. Add $100 per unit for labor and you get an idea of cost. Not knowing the size of your lanai, it’s hard to determine a fair profit margin. 40-50% is the norm.

We just did ours and single pane was enough. Also just added the mini-split after 1 year. Waited to see if we really wanted/needed it. Answer is ‘yes’.

Cardinal glass company in Ocala the largest manufacture of windows in US

They make a solar glass #320 that is amazing, look them up online

I did mine with that 320 double glazed it was under $10 a sq ft for the glass without labor.
So any installer has a low cost supplier nearby

So about $3,000 for 3 walls of a 12x20 never needed AC left the sliders out.

So $18,000 is an outrageous rip off:ohdear:

Do not use aluminum frames they transmit heat & cold.

Wood or vinyl for frames is better.

Be sure they have ARC approval & building permits.

We ordered our double pain windows in October . Just got them installed March 1. I agree if I had known how long the wait would have been I would have waited. They have to take off the screens to rough in frames for measurements. Room virtually unusable. Love it now, custom windows did a great job. Like others going to wait to see about mini split but definitely getting it insulated.

The only way I would pay half up front for a custom product would be if they can guarantee delivery within 60 days, and I could use a credit card. If they didn't deliver, I would dispute the credit card charge. There is no logical reason that the contractor needs the money that far in advance. They may have a materials backlog, but the fabricator is not going to spend more than a few weeks to fabricate the windows.

We enclosed ours with dual pane. More for sound proofing than anything else. We didn't add a mini-split, but we did have insulation put in. That made a big difference. We leave our lanai doors open all day and that takes care of the temp.

We debated this question for a while and went with double pane for about the price you quoted (and insulated the ceiling). We are so very thankful that we chose double pane. If the doors are left open all the time, the temperature seldom deviates more than 3 degrees F from that of the house. It has made the lanai a four season room that we spend lots of time in. We viewed that we always have the option to add a mini-split, but I doubt now that we'll ever do that. Not that it was a big deal for us, but it also does a good job insulating against noise.

We had Windows of Central Florida do the work in late 2019, and were pleased with their quality and timeliness.

We have acrylic sliders in our lanai, solar shades and a mini-split ( a/c and heat). Love it and have had it for over 10 years. The lanai is East facing.

I would get a couple more quotes that's a TAD high keep ion mind you also have to add HVAC .

3 years ago we had double pane glass and solar shades installed on a southern exposure lanai...we have two ceiling fans in the lanai, one pushes down, the other draws up. We also have an 11 foot opening when the sliders are fully open. We haven't had the need for a split, the a/c unit in the house had plenty of capacity and there has been no noticeable increase in electricity.

Maybe three times now in the dead of winter we've used a small space heater in the morning just to take a slight chill off (at night we leave the sliders open, but draw the vertical shades, basically for privacy)

converting the lanai to a four season room, that no longer gets soaked when it rains was one of the best things that we did

I ordered my double pane windows in September, and they didn't come in until 4 months later. A lesson in patience, for sure. I currently have a 3 month wait going for them to remake the screen, which was wrong.

We had our lanai closed with 5 simonton perfextion platinum weries windows, 5 sliders double pane low 2, coil and siding under windows with foam insullation, door, deadbolt, insulate attic with R 38 above attic, plus I had to have a larger window installed in our master bedroom to meet requirements. I'm VERY happy and have just opened the sliders and not have had to add A/C (AM sun) We used Windows of Central Florida 352 217 8151. They were on time, great technical work, everything cleaned up each day. The inspector said "I never have a problem with them". Total cost including window was $13,995.00

Our lanai faces west/northwest. It is 16x28. We have single pain, tinted sliders by Custom Windows. No screens, as we open into our birdcage. Service was good. Cost about $9200 in 2017. Single pane is hurricane rated for a cat 1. Light enough to remove if we think we need to for higher winds but that is rare here, so far. Don’t think anything would withstand a cat 4 or 5, so I’d be interested in what category a salesman states a double pane would withstand. Stating “hurricane” protected is nowhere specific enough to substantiate the cost. We did do a Massey split Heat/ac Mitsubishi unit. Had the lanai ceiling insulated by Solar Guys & added electric roll down shades by Shade Bros. Good decisions all. Keeps house cool & clean. Added about 500 sq ft more of living space. By getting single pane it paid for the ac unit.

Good luck with your decision

The price I cannot comment on. We had double pane windows put into our previous home. It was up north and the extra insulation factor was important. Here insulation is also important. Insulation slows down the flow of heat. Here it will slow heat coming in
as opposed to heat loss.

The double pane windows we purchased were double thick glass so essentially 4x as thick. Due to the weight I assume part of the cost is hardware, framing etc to take the extra weight. Also, the windows we purchased had built in UV filtration. How effective that is, what it is worth in terms of value I don't know but our windows had a blueish tint to them. Not at all obvious from the inside looking out but it was obvious compared to neighbors windows.

The sound deadening is dramatic. Perhaps a major reason to do it. Our windows stood up to snowball, ball etc from DENNIS THE MENACE the brat next door.

Under no circumstance would I choose to use Custom Windows of Leesburg again. After many calls and revisits, they finally got everything 'correct'. YOU will be the ONLY person checking for Quality Control of their work and the product and if you do not check it you will be very sorry in what you get from them and how they installed it. Also, they delay due to Covid, which is understandable. However, even once the product is in their hands they will work on your house for 30 minutes and LEAVE to go to another job and do that over and over again. I know you didn't ask this question, but I hope you listen to me in case you are considering to use them. And, as to your question: Yes use double pane windows else the room will not be comfortable even with a mini split and you will need a mini split anyways.

If you plan to AC, Heat, and or decrease Noise I would do double pane. also you have to insulate above the ceiling. You might consider a floor also.

If you plan to AC, Heat, and or decrease Noise I would do double pane. also you have to insulate above the ceiling. You might consider a floor also.

We had large sliders onto our lanai. We enclosed the lanai, all the way around with sliding doors. This morning it is a little cool outside, so I have the outside sliders closed and the indoor sliders open. A little heat from the house keeps it warm as I work on my lanai with full view of outside. When it gets warmer, I may open the outside sliders and get fresh air onto the lanai. Warmer still, I may open all the sliders and have fresh air into the house. This is great on warm summer evenings when we have friends over. When it is very cold, I close all the sliders and stay inside.

You have to be people who like fresh air and are not worried about privacy for this to work.

Another thing to consider: If you make your lanai into another air conditioned room, you will probably have to pay more tax.

Here is the way I think about it. If you need another room in your house, trade your lanai. Would you put single pane glass in any other room in your house to save construction cost? If you want to keep your lanai, but make it more usable throughout the year, consider sliders all around. It is, by far, the most flexible option.

single pane. Install removable screens for cleaning.

Our preowned home has single pain sliders and a Mitsubishi AC/ HEAT unit with a Northern exposure making it usable year round.

As I owned an enclosure business in my other life, I’d recommend the acrylic windows as they are less expensive than glass, plus it isn’t taxed as an enclosed room. Also, they are more energy efficient than single pane glass.

Shop around

Assume nothing. You are only going to enclose the lanai once, do it right with dual pane window with UV protection. Depending on the size of your home, the lanai and heat pump you may not need to add a split HVAC unit. Our lanai is 12X24, we enclosed it with high quality windows and sliders and are comfortably able to maintain it temp by adding two ceiling vents and adequate insulation. The contractor that encloses your room should add the insulation.

High?
 

Seems high but depends on lanai size.

Hope you got multiple bids and researched each contractor.