Some Features to Consider When Choosing a Skylight for Your Home

A skylight can be a great feature for letting in natural light when a wall window just isn't enough, such as for back rooms or rooms with small windows. They can also give your home a more expansive and open feeling, and those that open can even add to the home's ventilation. Note a few features to consider when choosing a skylight for your home so you know you get the best type and are happy with it for years to come.

Tubular skylight

A skylight that is flat against the surface of your roof may only bring in natural light when the sun is directly overhead. Unless you live in the tropics or an area with a long summer, this might not work well for your home. This is especially true if you can only fit a small skylight into the space. A tubular model might be a better option; this tube juts up from the roof slightly and is rounded rather than flat, so that it can bounce sunlight back down into your home no matter where the sun is located. This can also be a good choice for pitched roofs or those with a satellite dish, TV antenna, or anything else that might otherwise cast a shadow or block the sun.

Ventilation

Not all skylights provide ventilation; you need the type that you can actually crank or otherwise open for fresh air. If you do choose one that opens, note how this works. A crank that is attached to the wall might be less obtrusive than a rod that hangs down from the ceiling. For a back room or a skylight that is to one side of the room, you might not mind a rod that extends from the ceiling, but for hallways, a crank might be a better choice.

Glazing

Glass skylights are usually double glazed or even triple glazed for maximum insulation. When making your choice, note how much of the sun's harmful UV rays each one blocks so you know your home won't be overly warm and stuffy when the glass is closed. This might also be important for very large varieties that let in lots of sunlight, and especially so if they're located about your furniture and plants. Too much of the sun's UV rays can fade furniture and damage those plants and even cause your skin to tan when you're sitting underneath the skylights!