[Opulence]

You have BOTH given me much food for thought! I love you guys! It is so important to have different opinions and the WHY's of them. Each of you have added a very important element to my thought process. Thanks a bunch!

Betty

[otherbruddaDarrell]

We also had glass sliders put in a couple of months ago. We do not need to remove them in strong winds and they are tinted. It has helped to keep the lanai cooler and we use the room more now.
We also kept the slider in the living room and master bath to close things off if we wanted and also to avoid the room being taxed.

[golfmaniac]

Hi, I am also new to the Villages. I am also thinking of enclosing my lanai and wondering whether you went with glass or acrylic. Some say glass was marginally more expensive but the quotes I have received were substantial increases for glass. In fact some of them glass was double the cost of acrylic.

I am a snowbird and one of the main reasons for enclosing the lanai is so that I do not have to pack away the furniture, etc. during the summer. This brings me to my second question - if the lanai is enclosed without opening for the entire six months which include summer, what is the humidity going to do with the lanai?? Will it make the lanai full of mold and mildew?? Any comments from anyone on this aspect??

[jmerow]

First...CONGRATULATIONS!

As far as the lanai goes...we enclosed ours with glass. After a year of putting up with always having to cover the furniture or wash it down before you could use it (and I mean every week), we decided that it would offer us more enjoyment with it inclosed.

We didn't even consider using acrylic as we have seen homes while we are driving around and they just are not aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

If you are going to consider this living space and want to keep the patio doors open then glass is the way to go as the windows are thermal pane.

I have been told that the only time your taxes would affected is if you raise the floor to be level with the inside floor. (remember this would possibly make for a low ceiling)

Our room is does not have a/c (which cost apx $3200) We always use the room part of any given day. The season determines how long we are able to stay out there. Right now we can do breakfast and lunch. And evenings are always okay.

Hope this helps...be sure to get many bids and lots of references.

[gomoho]

An increase of taxes is determined if the space in contiguous to the home and has heat and air. The small amount of tax you will pay on this additional space pales in comparison to the increase of the value of your property.

Our lanai is enclosed and we had 2 vents run off the system in the house for $500 to have heat and air in this space. Our windows are not dual pane and heat up considerably, but the space is still useable even on the hottest days. We have installed insulation above the lanai and will have the windows tinted next summer. Our lanai is small, approximately 10x12, but we literally live out there.

Watching the Florida storms in the summer while sitting in your enclosed lanai is an experience to be truly enjoyed. We went away for a month this summer and I was concerned about the mold and mildew issue so I left the sliding door to the house open and the humidistat did its job. Everything was as we left it and we say a huge reduction in our electric bill.

[asianthree]

just noticed this was a 2009 thread...

[patfla06]

Originally Posted by SteveFromNY

Personally, I would not enclose the lanai. I like the open feeling of just the screens. We are expanding ours with a small birdcage and adding a patio out back to have additional outdoor space.
We also don't need additional "living" space. We have more than enough without the lanai. Of course that's a personal decision, and you may feel differently. I've seen many lanais enclosed with televisions and additional dining sets, etc. and folks do use them as family rooms sometimes.
We did buy a heater at Sam's that sits on an end table like a big lamp. It throws off lots of heat and does let me sit out and enjoy a cigar on colder evenings.
If it's really inclement, I'd just stay in the house.

I feel the same way. After living in FLA 16 years I love being outside
with just screens.
But to each their own - I can see why people would enclose it - just not me.