6. Temperature Gradient – and Conservatories.

Conservatories and sunlounges are notoriously difficult to heat at night because their properties naturally encourage extreme temperature gradients.

Warm air is chilled quite rapidly by contact with glass on a frosty night – even when the glass is the inner leaf of a double glazing system. And as we have seen earlier, chilled air accumulates at floor level, displacing the warmer, lighter air to a higher level.

Introducing a stove or other heat source into this situation causes the air to start revolving in a 'cartwheel' that is alternately heated on one side and cooled on the other (A.) This is not comfortable since you are likely to find yourself sitting in the cross-flow of cold air at the base!

A possible way to alleviate the problem is to stir the air up mechanically with a fan (B.) Many conservatories are equipped with a large diameter ceiling fan or "punka" and if you don't already have one it may be worth getting one for the comfort it can add during cold winter evenings as well as during the summer. Also fit the best insulating blinds or curtains you can find since anything you can do to reduce heat loss through the glass will add to your comfort while helping to reduce your heating bills.