Skylights can be a great source of natural light in your home. With summer approaching, many people start thinking about how to maximize the amount of sunlight in their home so they can soak up every bit of summertime goodness they can! Skylights are a huge undertaking, with many variables to mull over, each as important as the next. Here’s our short guide on what to weigh before committing to a new skylight.

Location, Location, Location

Arguably one of the most important factors is location. You want to have a skylight installed in an area that will maximize the amount of light it lets in. This might sound simple, but there are some factors to consider here. Typically in the northern hemisphere, the western side of the house gets more hours of sunlight in a day than the eastern side. Is your goal purely more sunlight? Then consider the western side. Is your goal to have more soft, ambient sunlight? Then consider the eastern side. Is there a large building, structure, or tree that casts a shadow on part of the roof, making a skylight placed there irrelevant? Then maybe that’s not the best area for the skylight. All important questions to be answered about the location of the skylight.

Type: Domed, Flat, Vented, Fixed

There are a few different types of skylights as well. Domed skylights bubble out, preventing leaves, twigs, and other debris from settling on them and blocking your light. Flat is, as it sounds, a flat skylight. A fixed skylight doesn’t move at all - this type is most commonly used in homes with high ceilings where realistically, no one would have the ability to open the skylight. However, if it’s going in an attic or in a place it’s easily accessible, then a vented skylight could be a good fit! A vented skylight will open slightly, allowing air into and out of the home.

Material: Plastic or Glass

Glass is certainly more expensive than plastic. That being said, glass typically holds up better over time. Plastic can get scuffed up and scratched, clouding over time, while glass typically does not. You will want to choose a material compatible with your climate, budget, and overall goal for your home. For example, if you live in a moderate climate and don’t mind the extra warmth in the summer, then a basic glass installation will suffice. But if you live in a hot climate and don’t want the skylight to heat up your home, you can opt for a different type of glass, or for tinted glass.

Professional Consultation

With the many variables at play when installing a skylight, we recommend a consultation to ensure you’re getting exactly what you want out of your skylight. This can also be a dangerous task, even for a seasoned DIYer. As always, our consultations are free. You can always call us at 502-341-4415 for any questions you have, or to set up for us to come out and help you plan what’s best for your home.

-New Look Roof Team

For any questions or comments, please feel free to email us at jwest@newlookroofs.com, we hope you have a great day and thanks for reading! 

- Julian