Glass in Lanai experience
 

hi,
contemplating this with Custom Windows. Any recommendations on type of glass to keep temp low so can use existing a/c which is 3.36 ton. Area is just under 200 sq ft
existing house is 1850 sq ft.......what kind of prices have you experienced for this size job.....thanks for the input

We have a small 2/2 home and had Custom Windows enclose our small lanai last September. Even with the sliding glass door open, we could not keep the lanai cool enough to sit out there in parts of May, June and now July, so we made the decision to have Munn's AC install a Mitsubishi split air conditioner. It was installed last week and it made the difference. I'm currently sitting on the lanai enjoying the cool lanai and writing this post.

You want low E glass.

Our lanai is 320 sq ft. We did it 2 years ago and would think prices much higher.

Good experience with Custom Windows but took longer than expected due to covid shutdowns of factory

Deep question:
If one encloses their lanai is it still a lanai?

Lees deep questions:
If you enclose your lanai in glass and put up shades and air condition it, isn't it just another room ? Can't you do the same things in the living room and even more in the bedroom? :D
Does this now add on to the square footage (feetage? feets?) of your home and increase your taxes?
Why do they call those "Mitsubishi Splits" dehumidifiers in all the advertisements and not air conditioners? Is there some sneaky reason to get around something?

I can answer a few since I've asked the same questions...

1) It's considered another "room" if the floor is raised to be level to that of the house. That would add square FOOTage to your home and would increase the taxes.

Technically, enclosing a Lanai probably would be called something else. We enclosed ours with Low E windows and call it our Sunroom.
Don't know or want to know what you do in your other rooms.
We added a Mitsubishi mini/split air conditioner with a dehumidifier control. Probably a technicality in Sumter County relative to whether it gets counted as additional living space. You could question Custom Windows regarding that. Our unit can heat, cool and dehumidify. Our Sunroom is 350 sq ft and is on the south side of home. We did not raise the floor and the room is not considered living space for tax purposes.

We were advised to wait a year or so before adding an A/C to determine the need. We decided that we wanted a year-round room and paid the $5000. We also added shades. Glad for both decisions. Even with Low E windows, the Temp can get up to the Mid 80's mid-day even with LR and BR doors open. We could set up fans to push air from house out but that is quite frankly a pain and depending on thermostat location may force you to keep the house cooler to get optimum temp in Sunroom.

Sunroom is now usable 365 days per year and is now our room of choice every day. Wide screen wall mounted TV, recliners, Lounger, Bar, Tile, carpets, patio table, cushioned chairs and wrap around view. Have seen others omit the AC and Low E windows and they are limited to special events when they set up to insure comfort.

This is not true.

The only thing that raises your taxes is if you take out the original sliding glass door between the living room and lanai.

Enclosing your lanai and putting in air conditioning does not add the square footage to your house or increase your taxes.

As a Floridian, it’s so strange to me that people enclose their lanai? It’s a space so you can enjoy sitting outside bug free. Like a deck in non bug parts of the country. :a040:

I paid for a lani to sit outside and enjoy fresh air without bugs.
I also paid for a house to sit inside in climate controlled space.

Why would you want to close off your lani and defeat the purpose?

Maybe you needed a bigger house??

Did Custom windows with a Munns spilt years ago. Now a she shed. Very satisfied.

Not true per Sumter county inspector. Same floor level between house and Florida room makes the Fl room additional living space and adds to taxes.

We have a western exposure and often too hot to sit in lanai so for additional living space converted to Florida room. Hindsight should have bought a bigger house

You still have screens but it can get so hot you need to go in the house.

Still have screens.