What You Need to Know about Skylights

No matter how far technology has come, no amount of artificial lighting can beat the warmth and glow that natural daylight brings. This is why windows are such a valuable part of any home. But apart from windows, there is another great way to bring more natural light into any room: skylights.

Skylights are structures placed in roofs and ceilings that let natural light inside homes and buildings. If you are thinking of installing a skylight but don’t know where to get started, here is some basic information to help you out.

The benefits of skylights

The main advantage of installing a skylight or two is having your room bathed in the soft glow of sunlight. It is pretty well known that sunlight improves the mood and provides more energy. There are also a couple of scientific studies that link exposure to sunlight with health and productivity boosts. Another major plus is the energy savings that you’ll get from a skylight. Since skylights bring in lots of light, you’ll have less need for artificial lighting.

The value of skylights can be felt even more in windowless rooms. Some common areas of the house that don’t have the luxury of windows, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms, can still be brightened up by natural light through skylights.

Types of skylights

• Traditional skylights are composed of a roof dome covered by glass that lets the sunlight in and a diffuser that helps spread the light evenly throughout the room. They can come in several shapes and sizes, including circular and rectangular ones and can have bubble acrylic plastic or flat safety glass. Large rectangular skylights are often made up of several glass panels.

• Tubular skylights also have the roof dome and diffuser, but these parts are joined by reflective tubing. Tubular skylights are cheaper to install and offer a brighter light compared to traditional ones. However, since they don’t have the same aesthetic impact as traditional skylights, some home-owners still prefer other types over them.

Common issues and how to fix them

With traditional skylights, leaking seems to be the most common problem. However, this problem is mostly caused by improperly installed skylights. Installing a new roof flashing can easily take care of this issue. As for tubular skylights, most people aren’t pleased with the negative impact they have on street appeal. Luckily, more and more manufacturers are offering low-profile tubular skylights to address this matter. Another common skylight complaint deals with heat and ventilation issues, but there are tons of skylight accessories that can solve these problems. Many skylight manufacturers offer skylights that can be opened manually or electrically and special blinds or shading options for skylights. These add-ons also allow you to control how much light can enter into your home through your skylight.

Need someone to install your skylights? Compare up to a dozen quotes from skylight installers now!