Skylight Window Installation: What to Know Before Soaking a Room in Natural Light
Renovating your home? Is it located in an area that receives plenty of sunshine throughout the year or for the most part of it? Installing skylight windows is an excellent way to light up your interior living space and reduce energy costs. Plus, it allows you to enjoy the magnificent views of the skies without going outside!
But adding skylight windows isn't as easy as selecting just any random skylights and fitting them anywhere in the roof of your house. Here are a few essential considerations to make before undertaking a skylight window installation project.
Placement
For your skylight windows to work effectively, they need to be fitted in a location that allows maximum sunlight to enter your living space. Before committing to buying these windows, have an experienced contractor come over to your home and check out your attic ahead of time.
There may be HVAC ductwork, electrical wiring or water pipes that may prevent the installation of your windows in your preferred location. In addition, the slope of your skylight will affect the amount of solar heat transmitted into your home. A pro can help you determine the proper slope for your window installation so your energy bills don't spike.
Purpose
Are you installing skylight windows only for natural light transmission or with some other purpose in mind? Skylights are a great source of natural lighting for homes, but they can also transfer a great amount of solar heat into your living space, thus increasing your air conditioning costs and reducing your indoor comfort.
If you're looking to enjoy more natural lighting while keeping your energy costs down, you'll need to choose window units that best match your lighting and energy needs. Likewise, you're better off installing a vented unit over a fixed one if you want to let the air out to improve ventilation inside your living space.
Window Design
Skylight windows are generally available as fixed or vented units. Fixed skylight windows can never be opened once they are installed. As their name suggests, they have no opening mechanism. The major selling point of this design is that rain can't leak into your house. On the downside, you can use these windows to let some air out of your house.
Vented skylights, on the other hand, come with either manual or motorised operating mechanisms. Both versions have vents to improve ventilation inside a room, but the motorised models provide added convenience in rooms with high ceilings.
Ready to install skylight windows in your home? Hire a professional to ensure the project is done correctly the first time.