Considerations When Adding Skylights
Adding skylights to a home is a wonderful way to bring more light into interior spaces. Even a single skylight can flood a kitchen with bright ambiance or invigorate a living area with solar élan. However, since skylights are structural elements that involve cutting windows through the roof of the house, homeowners should carefully consider several issues before moving ahead with projects.
Consulting local contractors at Marlton roofing companies will help homeowners plan their skylight installations. The advice and services of professionals are invaluable in ensuring that the job is done right.
Choosing the right placement for skylights is critical because once installed, they are there to stay. Homeowners can utilize skylights as passive solar heaters and free lighting by positioning them on a south-facing roof surface that gets uninterrupted sunlight throughout the course of the day. This pays off both aesthetically and in terms of energy savings. Skylights with double panes help prevent as much as 15 percent of the heat from escaping back through the window.
People in warm climates should diffuse the full power of solar rays by facing skylights to the north where softer light enters indirectly. Adding specially designed blinds or skylight shades minimizes overheating.
Tubular skylights bring sunlight into first-floor rooms. A roof-mounted dome emits light through a reflective tube that traverses the attic and upper floor areas. When it reaches its destination, the sunlight diffuses through a ceiling-mounted fixture to light up the space. Tubular skylights work best in small areas such as powder rooms.
Residents should also imagine how a new skylight will affect the architectural lines of a home.
Placing a unit in full view of the street may harm the aesthetics of the structure’s traditional style. Selecting a flush style of skylight, such as a ventilating model, solves the problem. However, these types of skylights are at greater risk for developing leaks, so hiring a professional roofer to install and correctly flash the unit against moisture is essential.
In terms of safety, placing a skylight in an area free of overhanging branches and structural features is one way to avoid damage from above. Also, paying the upfront cost of a unit equipped with safety glass or plastic is well worth it, considering that skylight breakage can injure occupants within the home.
Models with tinted covers reduce heat transfer and glare into spaces below. Insulated glazing conserves heat and reduces condensation on skylights that leads to water stains and damage.
A good time to add skylights is when the house is being reroofed. In many cases, the roofers have to tear off old materials anyway, clearing the way for skylight installation. Flashing and roofing around the skylights are natural extensions of a reroofing project, and incorporating skylights saves homeowners time and money.
Professional installation ensures that skylights become working components of the roofing structure, keeping moisture out while letting in sunlight. Also, many communities require a permit for skylight installation and a follow-up inspection to evaluate compliance with building codes. A roofing professional ensures that installation meets code requirements. Have a question regarding roofing, gutters or shingles? Please ask Fortified Roofing of Marlton NJ today!.
Term & definition explained by Fortified Roofing, Marlton NJ:
Passive solar
Passive solar energy is the light and heat of the sun collected directly through windows of a home. Rather than processing sunlight like solar panels and inverters do, passive solar elements, such as skylights or trombe walls, absorb solar energy passively.
Marlton roofing FAQ of the day:
What is the best way to repair a leaking skylight?
Because skylights can develop leaks in a number of places, from the window seals to the flashing or roofing around them, the best way to repair them is by contacting professional roofing contractors. A professional knows what to look for when inspecting a malfunctioning skylight and has the knowledge to solve such problems before the home sustains significant water damage.
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