What to consider before adding a skylight
Skylights, at first, seem like a no-brainer.
They are a way to let in natural light, as well as adding a bit of drama to your architecture. A bright idea, no doubt.
Bringing in natural light can help improve mental health and open up any space to be more inviting, while at the same time giving the impression of extra space.
Consider adding a skylight to a bathroom or hallway.
A poorly-lit hallway can be transformed with a Sun Tunnel Skylight while a bathroom skylight
can help add ventilation and sunshine to dry out an otherwise cold and damp room.
All of this can result in a happier home.
Extra light...
how much is too much?
In most areas of the house there is a huge bonus to increasing the feeling of space and light. In some areas there is such a thing as too much sunlight.
Western and northern facing skylights can let in a whole lot of baking heat in the summer when you are trying to cool down your living space. Skylights over the kitchen might overheat food sitting out on your island or benchtop. However this can be remedied by adding a skylight blind.
When installed in the right spot, a well-insulated skylight can let in a good amount of light to warm up your house and if placed over a thermal mass like tiles or concrete floors you might even see some energy savings as a result. Also concider adding solar powered blind that is remotly controled to help block out heat from the sun in the summer months.
The Skylight Guys recommend a Velux Solar Powered Opening Skylight in a kitchen or bathroom for added ventilation.
We also recommend adding blinds to skylights in the living room to bring down the glare on the television during the day.
All Velux skylights are Low-E3 coated, argon-filled, and double-glazed to provide thermal insulation. While the Curb Mount units have an option for triple glazed glass a blind would also help to improve insulation properties at times when you don’t need the extra light.
Design flair
There’s no arguing with the beauty of a skylight. What can beat a portal that allows you to gaze at the sky from inside?
Skylights can increase your home value and add personality and flair to a room. Put one over your bed and let the cloud watching lull you to sleep in the afternoons or star gazing at night.
Skylights are a design element that transforms any space like no other.
By raising and opening the ceiling for skylights, you’re adding a unique architectural feature to the space that is certain to draw the eye.
The most popular rooms for installing skylights are kitchens and bathrooms. They are also commonly used in living areas, stairwells, and outdoor patios.
Eco factors
In general, glazing can be a weak point in any house.
A skylight, can, in some situations, make the house colder, and in other situations overheat a room. Placement needs to be thought about carefully. In most cases it is best to consult a professional Skylight Installer.
To find a certified installer visit the Velux website.
A room with a lot of south-facing windows would not benefit much from a skylight, unless it is a larger area like a large family room or a recreation room. Placement is critical so as not to overheat the area in the summer sun. While a room with a lot of north-facing windows would benefit greatly from a skylight.
Choosing the smallest possible skylight to do the job of brightening up a space while not letting out too much heat in winter is a good option.
Extra care is needed to be taken with installation around the flashings to ensure there is no moisture infiltration. Thats why hiring a certified skylight specialist and not some handyman or roofing company is a must.
Costs
Depending on the size and placement of a fixed skylight, the cost including installation will start at around $3200. Added cost could include an opening skylight, blinds, extra insulating properties, or the length of the shaft. Some skylights are motorised for opening and closing both the skylight itself and the blinds with a remote control or on a programmable platform such as the Velux Smart Tech Option VELUX ACTIVE with NETATMO,
When building or renovating, costs can quickly add up. However, you can recoup some of that cost by installing a Velux VSS Solar Powered Venting Skylight or adding solar powered blinds as these options qualify for a solar tax credit. One thing is for sure, adding a skylight is well worth the money in most situations.
If you are looking to add some natural light to a dark space and do not care about being able to look out your skylight a Sun Tunnel (tubular) Skylight is a great, cost efficient, way to do that. The cost being only about a third of a traditional skylight
Hopefully, this article has given you a better understanding of what is involved if you are to consider adding a skylight or sun tunnel to your home or business.
Please contact our sales representative for a free consultation.