The skylights can enable your home to receive the best natural light present, the sun. These capture that sunlight and bring it inside your house all year round. Already a hit in the European areas, they are gaining attention in America. Their popularity is constantly increasing as these skylights find their way to more and more homes.
If you are in the market for a skylight for your home or business, you have come to the right place! The following guide will help you learn everything you need to know about skylights, from their many benefits to the best materials and the skylight installation. So let’s get started.
What Are Skylights?
So first, let us get the basics straight. What is a skylight? Skylights are a type of fixed glass window installed on a roof or ceiling of a building. Due to this reason, they can also be called ‘roof lights’. Their primary purpose is to bring in daylight or provide ventilation for your home. They play an essential role in keeping your home fresh and providing a source of natural lighting to a dimly lighted room.
Advantages Of Skylights
The Skylight window has been around for a long time now and is still in use. This is because it provides many advantages to you and your home. Some of these benefits are given below.
Increases Your Home’s Value
One of the best things you can do to improve the look and value of your home is to add a skylight. If you are going to be selling your home in the future, it makes sense to install one yourself. Skylights have become very popular, so buyers are willing to pay more for them — which means you can get an excellent return on your investment.
No Competition Of Natural Light
You can get numerous benefits by choosing natural lighting over artificial lighting. A skylight increases natural sunlight, improves sleep and productivity, heightens vitamin D absorption, etc. Thus skylight makes your home fresh and happy.
Keeps Your Home Warm
When it gets cold outside, the best heat source may be right above you — through the skylight. Skylights allow natural sunlight to come into your home and warm up a room, which reduces energy consumption and can help you reduce your bills. They also provide a great ambiance, letting you enjoy the natural beauty of the outside world.
Gives Adequate Ventilation
Skylight installation, apart from heating, can also provide you with ventilation. Some skylights can also open and create ventilation. This is useful in bathrooms and other rooms that don’t get much natural air circulation, and it’s helpful when you have to let out steam from a hot shower or cooking session. You can also use them to ventilate during the summer.
Types Of Roof Skylights
Before you decide to hire a skylight installer, you need to know about the various types of skylights available in the market. Following are some popular types that you can consider for skylight installation.
Fixed Skylight
A fixed skylight installation is one of the most traditional and popular skylight types in the market. These are the skylights that remain fixed. That is, you cannot open these skylights. Thus, fixed skylights lack ventilation, but they are still one of the best options for rooms that receive no light due to their low cost and waterproof design.
Ventilated Skylight
With a ventilated skylight, you don’t just get light, and you also get fresh air in your space. These skylights are an excellent replacement for windows in kitchens and bathrooms, as they remove moisture and bring in ventilation. The addition of natural light also makes these skylights an excellent option for bedrooms.
This skylight costs more than fixed ones but also has more features.
Tubular Skylight
While the other flat roof skylights require a skylight frame, tubular roof lights are different. These are small but powerful, circular-shaped devices that collect light through a window and project it in an even ray over a large area.
It comprises 3 simple parts, namely a light collector, a reflective tube, and an internal diffuser, and can be installed almost anywhere because it is so compact.
Curb Mounted Skylight
These are one of the simplest and most cost-effective varieties of skylights. This type of skylight requires an insulated curb, which can be added on after construction or by the manufacturer. They also require a double-walled frame set on top of or built into a roof. They let in a lot of light and are simple to install and maintain.
Pyramid Skylight
While there are many ways to bring natural light into your home, the pyramid skylight is the most visually appealing. It can be installed over a rectangular or square opening and can be made in various sizes as per your need. These generally have 4 sides but can also come in 6-8 side variants.
Should I Install the Skylight On My Own?
Skylights are a bit more complicated than they look, especially if you install them yourself. This is why it is not recommended as a DIY project. Also, they can leak if they are not installed properly, and they typically require extensive care. So you should hire a professional skylight contractor in New Jersey to do this.
Skylight Installation: Know The Process Of Installing A Skylight?
Many building owners are now choosing to install skylights. If you also want to install a skylight in your home, it is essential to understand how it works.
Also Read: DO ROOFERS INSTALL SKYLIGHTS (& HOW MUCH DO THEY CHARGE)?
Consultation and Inspection Of The Roof
Before installing, the skylight contractor will inspect your roof. During this phase, the installer will check your roof and areas where the skylight will be installed.
The time required for skylight installation and the type and area is discussed.
Cutting The Hole
The skylight installation starts with the roof of your home. Measurements are taken, and the process begins with creating a giant hole in the roof, then attaching the skylight to the roof using fasteners.
Installing Underlayment and Flashing
After the skylight is fastened, the next step is laying the underlayment and flashing.
The flashing is installed behind the skylight, which will ensure an even seal between it and the roof.
Interior Installation
After the roof is set with the skylight, the contractor will move to the inside. The interior part of the skylight installation will depend on the type of ceiling.
For example, if you have a flat ceiling, your installer will build a shaft from the skylight to direct the sunlight to the area. For building a shaft, drywall is required. Drywall and more paint will also be needed to paint the shaft according to your home.
Protect Your Skylight Installation
Skylights provide a way for heat to seep into a home during the winter. This can help keep you warm. But in warm weather climates, they can do just the opposite. A skylight can have a negative effect during hot weather. Direct sunlight can cause discomfort and blinding when you’re trying to do work at home. This is why you need to cover your skylight. This can be done by the following.
Skylight Covers
Your cheapest option is to put a skylight cover on your skylight. This will block the sun and replace it with cool, refreshing air. You can adjust the material that covers your skylight and the thickness of that material based on the amount of sunlight you want to block out.
Shades/ Blinds
These are also popular options to cover your skylight or windows. They’re available in various styles to suit every taste, including manual and electric models.
Fixed or motorized blinds are an excellent way to reduce energy costs for homeowners
UV Protection
These thin, transparent films are attached to the inside of your skylight and send UV light back into the atmosphere. They keep heat and light out, helping you keep your house comfortable year-round. The films also reduce glare. But these can be expensive and are difficult to install.
Get The Best Skylight Installation Services In New Jersey
We hope you gained a lot of information about skylights and how they help you from this blog. If you are looking for the best skylight installation contractors, you can count on Northkit Roofing.
With 25 years of combined experience, we’ve perfected the art of roofing and exterior installation. We know what it takes to ensure your roof is well looked after by experts. And, because we believe in quality over quantity, most of our clients have been with us for years — not weeks. Our number one goal is customer satisfaction (besides doing a great job), and that’s why we deliver only high-quality service.
We provide homeowners with top-of-the-line skylights at affordable prices. Each skylight we install comes with a 15-year warranty, so you can rest easy knowing you won’t have to deal with replacement costs any time soon. You also don’t have to worry about leaks. Our skylights are designed to keep stray water outside where it belongs. So, contact us today at (973) 396-7416 to know more about the process.
