Installing a skylight can increase the look of a home both inside and out. By bringing in more natural light, skylights can open up a room to get the most out of the space visually.
As the popularity of skylights increases, it’s important to understand the considerations a homeowner must make before installation begins. Making sure each aspect of the new skylight is perfect will save time and money throughout the project.
Skylight Features To Consider
Skylights have come a long way from simply being an opening in the roof protected by a piece of glass. Material, design style and accessories can all be changed to match the needs of any home.
Skylight shapes can be a traditional flat pane to honor the traditional look or a domed top to better disperse and distribute light inside. Domed skylights are also more durable and resistant to scratches at the cost of being restricted to plastic for the material. Flat panes can be plastic or glass.
Getting the most out of a skylight means exploring extra accessories that can be added, most importantly the option to have a vent added to increase air flow and bring in fresh air. Another way to bring in more fresh air is choosing to have skylights that can open on hinges rather than being fixed.
Installation Options For New Skylights
Creating and completing the list of specifics that a skylight must meet is the first half of the process, next is getting the installation just right. Finding out the perfect location and room the skylight will be in is the most important part of installation.
The process can take a lot of time and money so getting the location right the first time is key. A room that has more foot traffic will mean more people get to enjoy the extra natural light. A common tactic is to use a skylight to bring heat into an addition or patio instead of running additional ductwork to connect to central air.
Choosing a part of the roof that has good drainage can help get the maximum service life out of the seals that keep a skylight from leaking. Skylight seals will still need to be maintained and replaced over time but the cost can be reduced drastically with proper planning.
The last big decision to make is deciding between curb and deck-mounted installations. Curb-mounted skylights are an older style of skylight that are placed on top of a small box that surrounds the opening in the roof.
Deck-mounted skylights have replaced curb-mounted in most new construction as they are built directly into the roof keeping a flush surface. The skylights are made off-site and installed into framing to reduce labor costs on top of being more energy efficient.
Skylight installation isn’t just for new construction. Remodels can benefit from the addition of skylights and can be integrated into solar panel systems as the best skylight spots are also the best candidates for solar panels.
No matter the job, choosing the right roofing company can make or break an entire project. Roofers Elite’s team of local roofers understand the needs of Maine roof systems to make sure every installation can withstand the harsh winters and rainy days for the life of the home.
