“All-season” is one of the most overused words in the sunroom industry and is commonly attached to plenty of rooms that turn into cold storage the moment November hits. A genuinely all-season sunroom is a specific kind of construction, not a marketing label. Here’s what actually separates the real thing from a three-season room with a heater plugged in.
4 Season Studio Sunroom – During
At a glance, a true all-season sunroom includes:
- A frost-protected foundation: Rated for Minnesota’s 42–60″ frost depth, not a floating slab
- Insulated wall and roof assemblies: Engineered for snow loads and freeze-thaw cycles, not just glass panels
- High-performance, Low-E glazing: Dual- or triple-pane glass rated for both January cold and July sun
- A dedicated PTAC unit*: Self-contained heating and cooling built into the room itself
- Code-compliant permitting: Built and inspected as genuine conditioned living space, not an accessory structure
The Foundation and Frame Most Companies Skip
The most common shortcut in the sunroom industry is skipping straight to the glass and skimping on what’s underneath it. A slab that isn’t rated for Minnesota’s frost depth will heave over a few winters, cracking seals and throwing doors out of square. Wall and roof systems that aren’t properly insulated will lose heat faster than any PTAC unit can replace it, no matter how good the unit is. All-season performance starts below grade and inside the walls, long before anyone notices the glass.
What Betterliving / Craft-Bilt Systems Add
At Signature Sunrooms by Allan Dorney Construction, we install Betterliving all-season sunroom systems, manufactured by Craft-Bilt in the USA. These systems are engineered specifically for harsh Midwest climates, with high-quality vinyl construction that resists the swelling, warping, and yellowing that lesser materials show within a few Minnesota winters. As your one-stop builder, we pair that system with a properly sized PTAC unit, correctly detailed foundation and framing, and code-compliant construction all under one schedule and one warranty.
An all-season sunroom is a bigger investment than a seasonal room, and it should be. It’s also the only version of a sunroom that actually delivers on the promise printed on the brochure. See our all-season sunroom systems to find out what a genuine four-season build looks like for your home.
