On October 14, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reported that the Twin Cities had reached 90 degrees on both October 10 and 11, its first October with two 90-degree days in 154 years of records. The unusual heat gives Lakeville homeowners a timely reason to compare the fresh-air screened porch and more enclosed three-season room described by Decked Out Construction before colder conditions return.
The temperature record comes from the Twin Cities station, not a Lakeville backyard. The practical point is the change in seasons: a porch that feels right during a warm spell may have a very different job in November. Screens, windows, and a roof each answer a different part of that problem.
A screened porch keeps insects out while letting the breeze through. That openness is the reason to choose it for a summer evening, but it also means outdoor air still moves through the room when temperatures fall. Screens provide no basis for calling the space heated or sealed against winter weather. A roof can keep off rain, yet it cannot remove the chill from an open wall.
A three-season enclosure is a different proposition. Decked Out Construction describes its three-season rooms as insulated and enclosed with windows, with intended use extending from early spring into late fall. The windows offer a barrier against wind and precipitation while retaining a view outside. The actual comfort of any room depends on its design and weather; the name does not turn it into a year-round, heated living room.
Covered porches sit alongside those choices rather than replacing them. An overhead cover provides shade and shelter from rain, but open sides leave a homeowner exposed to wind and falling temperatures. It also does not keep insects out, a difference that matters on warm evenings when a roof may seem like enough shelter.
Someone who values summer airflow may prefer screening. Someone seeking more use during cool spring and fall days may place greater weight on windows and enclosure details. Those are choices about how the space will be used, not promises about a particular indoor temperature.
The enclosure decision reaches beyond screens and glass. Lakeville's screen and three-season porch guide calls for a permit application, a survey locating the proposed structure, and plans showing the floor, roof, supports, and openings. The city applies principal-structure setback rules to both porch types. Its handout was revised in April 2021, so a homeowner should confirm the current requirements for the property with Building Inspections before building.
The guide makes one distinction especially clear: screening alone is not an approved guardrail. Where a raised porch needs a guard, the insect screen cannot do that second job. The guide also addresses footing depth and the roof and floor loads that a porch design must carry. Neither a window system nor a screen choice replaces structural planning, particularly when the roof will face winter weather.
A heated room brings a different question. Minnesota's Department of Labor and Industry says a heated porch may need to meet the state energy code, with local zoning requirements applying as well. A three-season room with windows and insulation should not be confused with a conditioned four-season room. The company describes screened, covered, and three-season porches on its site; it does not list a heated four-season room among those options.
The record warmth makes this a useful time to separate the options before the next cold stretch, not to assume the fall will stay warm. Homeowners can compare airflow, shelter, and intended months of use, then check what a particular site permits. Decked Out Construction describes its porch construction options online; Lakeville Building Inspections can answer questions about the city's current project requirements.
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For more information about Decked Out Construction, contact the company here:
Decked Out Construction
Cooper & Christoph Decked Out Construction
+16122381858
getdeckedoutconstruction@gmail.com
20730 Holyoke Ave Suite 146, Lakeville, MN 55044, United States
