Until recently, the choice for conservatory roof materials was extremely limited, rendering any question about the best material somewhat academic.
You could select glass or polycarbonate in what was often a pointless choice.
Both materials are unfit for purpose. They might let light in, creating a sunny room, but it is a sunny room that is unusable. Glass or polycarbonate are unable to effectively regulate the temperature and so the conservatory becomes a virtual sauna in the summer, while in the winter it requires the heating on almost constantly to be enjoyable.
Since 2010, it has been possible to have other types of conservatory roof; prior to that the question 'what is the best roof' was probably best answered by 'save your money for something else'.
Enough of the past, though.
Now that there is a wider choice of material, which one should you choose?
We believe the only choice worth considering is a lightweight, solid, tiled roof.
At Guardian, we developed the Guardian Warm Roof which is a solid, lightweight tiled roof and so you would expect us to champion these roofs and we will, we are proud of them.
However, we also have the backing of regulators and independent research. There is clear evidence that shows that our type of roof is the best choice.
The key benefit of a lightweight, tiled roof is that it makes the conservatory a great space all year round.
When we were developing the roofs, this was what we were looking to achieve and it was the benefit we had to demonstrate in order for regulations to be changed – there would be no point changing regulations to make a new type of roof permissible if it didn't solve the problems of the existing roofs...
It was shown that a lightweight, tiled roof was better at keeping the conservatory within a pleasant temperature range and also that the roofs could be fitted on to existing conservatory structures. They could be used as a roof both on a new build conservatory, but also as a replacement roof.
It is worth noting that while there are other brands of tiled conservatory roof, it is only the Guardian Roof that has full Local Area Building Control (LABC) approval.
That ability to sit in your conservatory, relaxing during a sunny, summer's afternoon is why people choose our roofs, but it is not the only benefit.
A very visual benefit is the look of the roofs. Glass or polycarb roofs do not blend in with the rest of the house, they can look like a bolt-on. A tiled roof comes in a range of styles and subtle colours, ensuring there is a roof type to suit every type of property.
You can see examples by visiting our gallery – the images also show the internal finish and roofing options, for example a skylight keeps the room light, while the tiled roof helps regulate the temperature.
A final reason to choose a tiled roof is that there are financial benefits. The roof's greater thermo efficiency means that there are energy bill savings to be enjoyed, independent research putting these at around £200 per year for a typical property.
Potentially better still, if you ever look to sell the work is likely to have paid for itself and perhaps more besides. This is because the roof turns a conservatory into what I effectively a sympathetic extension, this makes it a home improvement would-be buyers are willing to pay for.
If you would like to discuss the options for a new roof, perhaps get a quick quote or be put in touch with local, approved Guardian Warm Roof installers please do get in touch with us on 0800 0665832.
