Skylights are a brilliant modern innovation for your home easy to purchase and great to own, but there's not a lot of general knowledge around about just how good these simple "roof windows" can be! How many of the following did you know already?
1. Skylights aren't just for houses with big sloping roofs.
One of the great things about skylights is that they can be fitted almost anywhere there is a roof space! Whether is a big sloping roof for an 'attic-room' or even a completely flat roof on a bungalow or flat roofed property.
2. There are many different types of skylight available on the market.
Having a skylight isn't just about having the window in the roof. You can get skylights that act as air conditioners, skylights that act as magnifying glasses for the suns rays and skylights that can even be used as a way to create dramatic views for your particular room.
A venting skylight, also just called a roof window, is a skylight that opens outwards and can create a vacuum that sucks out warm air from the room allowing cool fresh air to flow freely. These are ideal for rooms with high humidity such as the kitchen or bathroom. They can also be fitted to high or cathedral ceilings with both automatic and manual opening operations. Motorized venting skylights eliminate the hassle of having to manually crank open hard-to-reach skylights and operate at the touch of a button.
A tubular skylight is a glass or plastic dome that sits on top of your property that has a tube filled with reflective panels going down into the ceiling of the room it's fitted in. These panels amplify the suns rays providing a huge amount of light and warmth to the property. They are ideal for areas of the home that are enclosed (hallways, foyers etc)
Finally, a fixed skylight, like the other two designs, are ideal for any room needing additional light. Whilst they don't provide any additional ventilation they are designed for 'out of reach' areas, like a high roof in a converted barn or chapel for example. Not confined to just out of reach areas, they can also be fitted to a property that has low sloping roof ceilings in an attic or loft to provide excellent views out across the surrounding land.
3. Skylights aren't exclusively for use within the main house.
Sheds and garages can be dark and dingy places, a skylight fitted into the roof of the structure floods the area with natural light, removing any need at all for having to turn a light on during the daylight hours. Having a skylight fitted in your shed can not only aid with lighting the area but can also give the building a more 'homely' feel, just from the point of having a window installed. Additionally installing them in a summerhouse in the garden can add the extra luxury you didn't know you needed on those long, hot summer evenings.
4. The orientation of your skylight can determine what it's best used for.
Depending on what way the skylight is facing when it's fitted into your property can affect the main use you'd get for it. A skylight that faces east would improve sunlight and heat-gain in the morning when the sun rises, alternatively one facing to the west will improve sunlight and heat-gain in the afternoon when the sun is setting. If your home is cold in the winter months, a south facing skylight will be great at absorbing as much of the suns heat and light as possible but may also retain that heat in the summer. If you're looking for a skylight that just absorbs as much light as possible a north facing one is the best choice. This will not absorb much heat from the sun but will provide excellent natural light coverage throughout the entire day for the room it's installed in.
There we have it! 4 facts that you may not have known before about skylights, and if you didn't already know these things you can go ahead with your new knowledge to your local skylight provider with the knowledge that you know you'll be getting the exact style and fit of skylight your home needs!