How to install skylights – important things to know

When you use a skylight in your home, you end up making a beautiful and practical addition to your property. The room can feel naturally and cozily lit, with optimum ventilation. It is particularly relevant for your bathroom and kitchen areas. Many people, however, don’t find this option comfortable because one has to make a hole in the roof to make way for it. You, too, can have the same amount of anxiety about it as other homeowners. But you don’t need to bother much if you use the right materials and a trusted roofer like PRC.

You can find these in the flat, dome, vented, and fixed forms. And as far as the shapes go, there can be attractive choices for you to pick apart from the typical rectangular ones. Each has its utility and purpose. For instance, you can’t open fixed skylights, but you can expect to enjoy this benefit with vented options that allow you to control them manually or remotely. Anyway, before getting into some technical aspects, let’s first explore why you should go for this choice for your sweet home.

Benefits of using skylights

Energy saving

Since skylight can provide your home with an abundance of daylight throughout the year, your dependence on artificial lights can go down significantly. Your living space looks vibrant, and at the same time, the utility bills dwindle too. Over a period, the same savings can recover all the cost you spent on its installation.

Then, the thermal efficiency of these fixtures is another plus for your finances. During winter months, you get sunlight for a few hours. With a skylight, you can take full advantage of even the limited hours of natural light. And in summers, when you get the daylight in profusion, you don’t have to switch on the artificial light for a long time. Most of your day can pass in the presence of natural light.

Overall well-being

Even in movies, you can see your favorite artists lying on the floor facing the open sky through the skylight of their home. You, too, can have a similar experience with these lights. Get it installed, and look through it at the sky while reclining on the floor. It will feel genuinely heavenly. Your senses will wake up when you soak up natural light that helps produce Vit D. Vitamin D is essential for your metabolism, muscles, and bones. It also improves your circadian rhythm and immunity.

Ventilation

In urban areas, most properties suffer from the problem of air ventilation due to limited or crunched space. But skylights can come in handy here too. If you get vented ones for your home, you can open and close it to let the healthy air circulate inside your home. It can create an overall hospitable atmosphere effortlessly. However, make sure you choose the perfect variation and material. Otherwise, you may not enjoy the perks to an extent you wanted.

Privacy

The proximity of homes and buildings can prove troublesome for two reasons – 1) limited access to daylight, and 2) loss of privacy. However, with skylights, you can solve both your concerns. The smart positioning of lights doesn’t allow your neighbors to peer in while you continue to spend your time alone in peace and abundant daylight.

Types of skylights

Since skylights help facilitate about 30% more natural light inside your home compared to vertical windows, you can feel tempted to install them. But before that, it’s critical to learn that you get three main choices in this.

• Fixed skylights: One of the most popular choices, these types of installations don’t open, and hence, got the name fixed. It is useful for adding additional light. You can put them in hallways, stairwells, and attics for ease of access.
• Vented skylights: Another epithet for these lights is roof windows. You can open and close them for additional light and ventilation. You get them in manual and electronic options. These make an ideal choice for areas like bathrooms and kitchens. In these places, a skylight comes in handy for eliminating extra moisture and circulating air.
• Tubular skylights: Also referred to as light tubes, these are relatively new addition to the collection. Another name for them is sun pipes. These small domed shape lights combined with a reflective metal tube can create a dramatic effect on the amount of light entering your room. These are best for small rooms, closets, hallways, etc. You can find a variety of features with them. For instance, some can allow you to dim daylight, and some offer ventilation fans.

Skylight materials

Glass and plastic are the two primary materials used in this product. Some people say that glazed glass lights can offer durability. However, these glasses need to have either lamination or tempering or a combination of both to be strong. If you choose double glazed light, you can expect it to be more energy-saving. It can keep your room cool in summer and warm in winter. You can also go for a solar control glass to maintain a soothing temperature inside your room during summer.

In plastic, you get two options – acrylic and polycarbonate. If you don’t want to spend much, acrylic can be a choice. But it may not be durable. With polycarbonate material, the main issue is staining. It can turn yellow with age. Also, regardless of which plastic material you choose, make sure that it consists of UV-resistant film to avoid the issue of discoloration with furniture and carpets. For low-pitched or flat roofs, plastic can be a better alternative because collected water may damage the joint of the double-glazed glass.

If you want to take advantage of these lights in your home, then hire an experienced and skilled roofing agency in Utah for help. They can guide you right through the choice of skylight type to its installation. You may need to seek permission from the concerned authorities for this, though. In case you are not sure about this, you can speak to your contractor even for an idea.