Designing your dream home or looking for ways to add more natural light in your existing residence or office space? Your space ultimately reflects your personality and style. You’d like to be able to enjoy doing the things you need and love to do—such as cooking, cleaning, resting, working—so it helps if you can actually see what you’re doing. Here are some reasons why you should install a roof skylight so you can instantly benefit from both an improved quality of life & quantity of light.
What’s a Skylight?
By no means a new invention, skylights have existed for many years. Look back at Ancient Roman architecture to see how to open skylights were used to add light to darker parts of their buildings.
A skylight is a moulded unit built into your roof. Typical models are made from acrylic and single glazed opal, while the more expensive kind use double-glazed glass. Skylights are found in countless working and living spaces & can be designed in various forms & styles. With the option of being vented or not as well as opened or closed, these versatile units can add so much value to a room, no matter your end goal.
The Upside of Having a Skylight
Comparing the before and after effects of installing a skylight can really look as different as night & day. Consider the following advantages to having a skylight in your home or office space:
- More light
A dark room can be brightened incredibly by the installation of a simple skylight. In fact, skylights are known to add three times the amount of light into a room than a standard window. If you’re looking to brighten your home with natural light, you’ll not only experience seeing more sun but also feel lighter.
How, you may ask?
Consider how individuals suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder need more light in order to feel better. A skylight is particularly helpful if your house or workplace lets in limited natural light from traditional windows or in cloudy and rainy climates. Being more exposed to natural light—and therefore Vitamin D—helps improve your health, mood & productivity.
- Larger spaces
If you’re living or working in a small space a skylight can make a big difference. Skylights create the illusion of a space being large than it is in reality. The illumination a skylight brings helps give a less cramped feeling to smaller rooms. Skylights and mirrors can work together to create this desired effect in a space. A skylight acts as a roof window providing an undisturbed view.
- Less electricity
Using skylights in your space will reduce the number of lights you switch on during the day. You’ll be thankful for the amount you save on electricity each month.
A kitchen skylight can even prove useful at night time when you need to sneak out your bedroom in search of a midnight snack. It illuminates enough for you to see without turning on an additional light.
In colder weather, a skylight helps to offer your space some extra warmth from natural sunlight. Some vented skylights can be opened to circulate air on hot and stuffy days or after cooking up a storm.
The Downside of Having a Skylight
You may also be wondering about the drawbacks of having a skylight. While these are minimal, it’s important to know what they are before installing yours:
- Glare and Fade from the Sun
Depending on which room you’d like to install your skylight, remember the flooring that’s directly below it. If it’s a carpet or leather or upholstered couches, you have the risk of the sun casting a nasty glare on these furnishings. This could eventually result in discolouring or fading but can be prevented by including filtered window panes in your skylight, centralfloridaskylights.com is a great resource for skylight installation and repair information.
- The Cost
On average a skylight installation can cost about over $1000. You need to include the material costs, whether you’re installing a fixed or vented unit and the professional installation.
This can be quite pricey but it’s dependent on the type of skylight and the company you contract in. You should also make allowances for future maintenance and repairs, but overall this is a reasonable initial investment with long-term paybacks.
- Possible Leaks
Always make sure your skylight’s been installed correctly with good quality materials to reduce the chance of leaking energy and heat. Double-paned windows are a good alternative to know you’re using energy-efficient installations.
There’s also the possibility of moisture leaks. It would be a shame for water to start dripping onto your floor or carpet in the middle of hail or rainstorm. To prevent your household contents from being spoiled or ruined, ensure your skylight is regularly maintained. Sufficient ventilation also assists to filter air and make sure moisture isn’t trapped inside.
Conclusion
If you’re wanting to let in a little more light, investigate installing a skylight in your space today. Consider using the services of a skylight installation company to add light and worth to your property & you can enjoy the benefits for a long time to come.