A CR Smith Conservatory Earth Hour

The WWF’s Earth Hour event was a great success, with millions of people across the world turning off the lights for an hour in a mass demonstration to show their support in the fight against climate change.

I was at a party in a friend’s conservatory when we plunged ourselves into darkness for the hour between 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Saturday March 28. We had such fun with the lights off we never realised the hour passed and carried on in darkness for the rest of the evening.

At the party we were discussing what we do in our lives to be green, when someone commented that it was contradictory to hold a ‘green’ protest in a conservatory. There are many people that hold a misplaced view that conservatories eat up energy and are difficult to heat – modern, CR Smith conservatories are simply not like that.

Conservatories are built on the ground so a lot of heat can escape quite easily if there isn’t a strong insulation system. All CR Smith conservatories have fully insulated floors and walls and Argon gas filled double-glazed units in the windows. We use 60mm thick insulation which is strapped to the inner skin of the brick with a 50mm cavity. Beneath the floor, 80mm for concrete floors and 100mm for a suspended timber floor, Damp Proof Membrane (DPM) is laid to eliminate rising damp. A minimum gap of 150mm is then left to allow air circulation throughout. All of this ensures that heat cannot escape easily in a CR Smith conservatory.

Satisfied CR Smith Customers - Star Gazing

When Donald and Elizabeth Maguire contacted CR Smith about a conservatory they had no idea just how much it would enhance their property. “It was a nice view over the farm before,” said Elizabeth, “but now that we have the conservatory it feels like we are actually outside. As it stretches out into the garden at the same level as the house it really maximises the view.”

In fact the Maguire’s were so taken with the view from their cottage, finance expert Donald invested in some equipment to help them appreciate their surroundings. “We’ve got a telescope in the conservatory now,” laughs Elizabeth, “everyone asks if it’s for astronomy but really we just look at the fields and out over Loch Leven.”

After installing their conservatory, the next step for the Maguire’s was to replace the adjacent patio doors. “They had been here since we moved in,” explained Mrs Maguire, “so the runners were beginning to go and they looked a bit off next to the new white conservatory.”

Now with a beautiful new conservatory and set of Lorimer doors, both of which open out onto a raised slate patio, the Maguires can enjoy a secluded suntrap surrounded by stunning views.