The Doctor Says
James Williams
Bradford 21/08/2008
I have a timber lean to conservatory which I think is 15 years old. It has very thin polycarbonate which is going green and is dirty. I have been treating it with wood stain, so the wood is OK but it’s hot in the summer and we can not use it in winter as its freezing. What can I do?
Conservatory Doctor
It’s good you have treated the wood. You do not say if the windows are double-glazed? You may have an old wick’s conservatory with single glazing in which case you can apply window film which will reduce the heat help a little to take away the cold spots in winter. Most of your heat is escaping through the roof. You should consider replacing the roof with 35mm polycarbonate fitted with Tec-Sun pro solar inserts. This has a U value better than triple glazing, which will keep you cool in summer with greatly improved heat retention in winter. Before you commit to anything you may want to get a survey of the structure to ensure your investment is worthwhile. Providing the survey is OK you can look forward to another twenty years of useful life from your conservatory.
