Skylights are a hit in modern interior design, and you’ve probably seen plenty of houses with them. Perhaps your friends/family installed one recently, or maybe you walked by a new property and noticed the striking skylight. In any case it’s made you think about adding one to your property – yet you’re still wondering if it’s a worthwhile investment.
Are they just another trend that will leave within a few years, or are skylights genuinely worth installing?
This post will explain everything you need to know before installing anything so you can be 100% sure it’s the right decision.
There Are Different Types Of Skylights
Most people don’t know that different types of skylights exist. You’ve got fixed skylights that don’t open and vented ones that do. Obviously, this means a great deal when you’re installing one in your home because you need to decide if ventilation is a priority. Some people like a skylight for the visual purposes – and to bring more natural light into a room – but others want more practicality.
Make Sure Your Skylight Is Energy Efficient
You don’t want to make the mistake of adding a skylight to your home that ruins the energy efficiency. Think about it, you’re technically cutting out a hole to put this piece of glass in, so it must be installed correctly and made of energy-efficient materials. As explained by TuffX, you want toughened or laminated glass to give you better durability and more heat retention. These materials stand up against harsh weather and will ensure your home stays thermally efficient, so you’re not blowing money on energy bills.
Test Your Roof Before Ordering Anything
Most skylight installation companies will do this for you as part of a “consultation”, but you need a roofing expert to test your roof and make sure it’s compatible with a skylight. Certain roof styles or angles won’t work well with a skylight, and you may need extensive structural changes to bring your vision to life. Maybe you’re happy spending more money changing your roof, or maybe that’s a sign you shouldn’t join the skylight trend.
Decide On The Skylight’s Orientation
Where will you angle your skylight towards? North-facing skylights are the most popular when you want a consistent dose of natural light throughout the year. If you truly want the brightest natural light possible, then south-facing will be your best option – just be careful during the summer as it can make the room really hot (so perhaps you should consider a vented one).
East and west-facing both capture light at specific times of the day. The former is good for getting morning sun (e.g. in a bedroom), while the latter helps you bring in afternoon light (e.g. for living rooms during the Autumn/Winter when it can get gloomy).
The big thing here is that your home may only allow one orientation depending on where you want to place your skylight. You have to weigh up if that orientation gives you what you’re after, or if it’s not worth adding this to your home.
Aside from thinking about your budget, these are some of the most important things to consider before installing a skylight.
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