Householders who want to install wooden conservatories may be attracted by the style, the use of space and the flexibility that enables it to be used in rain or shine. But some may ask if the changing climate could pose a major challenge to the comfort they can provide.
As the BBC recently reported, June brought record temperatures all over the northern hemisphere and even led to the hottest average temperature for the planet ever recorded on three separate occasions. Here in Britain, the average temperature was 0.9C above the previous hottest, set in 1940.
Unlike in 1940, nobody will be worrying about the Luftwaffe dropping a bomb on their conservatory. But could such heat make them unpleasantly hot spaces to be in?
Thankfully, this need not be the case. Many things can be done to make a conservatory much cooler when it is very hot, as Ideal Home recently explained.
For example, a really simple option is to install blinds. These can be closed when it is really hot and opened when it is not, helping to keep the temperature nicely under control. Alternatively, a cooling film will reduce the amount of heat coming through the windows, as well as filter out some of the more harmful UV rays.
Roof ventilation or the use of a fan can also help by producing better air circulation, while another measure you can use is to adopt items in lighter colours to decorate the interior, helping reflect heat instead of absorbing it.
Finally, you can create a healthier ecosystem by having plenty of plants inside. They help cool the air through transpiration, improving the humidity of the space.
These methods can all help make the interior of a conservatory a very pleasant place. Not only will it be cooler, but they offer opportunities for tasteful decoration and lots of attractive flora.
Climate change may be bad news in many ways, but I should not stop you from enjoying having an attractive conservatory for many years to come.