The Pros and Cons of Skylights

We believe that everyone loves skylights, though admittedly we might be a little biased. Additionally, we believe in honesty and taking care of our customers above all else. Therefore, it is important for you to know that skylights have a lot of benefits, and we love to talk about them, but skylights also can have some concerns to discuss as well. The benefits are obvious:

• daylighting can improve your health
• rooms feel larger
• rooms are more welcoming
• rooms are more comfortable
• they offer a view of the natural world with privacy
• they can lower energy bills
• and they can boost your mood

So what do you need to be concerned about?

The Drawbacks of Skylights

Skylights do have a couple of concerns to discuss to get the greatest benefits available.

1. Too Much Light

Depending on the orientation and size of the skylight, you can end up with a room that’s too bright or has too much glare for comfort. Bedrooms or TV rooms are the biggest concerns here. Most people don’t want to be woken up at 6 a.m. on a weekend by the bright sun on their face, or have so much glare on their TV in the afternoon that they can’t watch their favorite show.

So what can you do? A few things actually.  Making sure to install the correct sized skylight is important. We will help with that. The Velux Solar Blinds are also a  great option, as it gives you complete control over the lighting no matter the time, orientation, or season (which is a big factor here in Colorado). Another option is install the skylight on a north facing roof. This will capture the diffused light, but will get a minimum of direct light, keeping the light even and enjoyable.

2. Heat Gain and Loss

Skylights, like all windows, are a thermal liability in your home. They don’t have to be insulated as well as walls or your roof. So again, what can you do?

We always recommend Velux Skylights, because they are the nation’s leading manufacturer of quality skylights. They use the most modern technologies to make their products energy-efficient.

To reap the green benefits associated with top lighting, it is essential to minimize the solar heat gain, while preserving the conditioned air inside your home. To accomplish these goals, Velux incorporates argon gas between the insulated panes of all their glass products and use low emissivity coatings (Low-E) to make their products some of the most energy-efficient in the industry.

3. Poor Insulation

When installing a skylight, a shaft is built between the ceiling and roof. But if poorly installed, this can become a thermal liability and drive up your energy costs. Thankfully the fix here is fairly easy, use a reputable company that is focused on details.

We always take the time and energy to properly install all of our products, and make sure the best energy efficiency and quality with every installation.

4. Moisture and Leaking Issues

There is an old joke among contractors: there are two types of skylights, ones that leak and ones that will leak. But all jokes aside, obviously cutting a hole in your roof is a big deal, with Colorado weather; hail storms, thunderstorms, blizzards, etc… posing a very real threat. A skylight is not the area to cut corners, you really do get what you pay for. So how can you protect yourself from this threat?

Buy a quality product. Velux offers a best in the industry warranty against all leaks for ten years including a ten year hail glass breakage warranty. We offer the option to buy longer warranties on our products, up to a lifetime guarantee. These warranties give you peace of mind that no matter the weather, you will be protected and so will your home.

The Benefits

A skylight at the peak of a roof provides zenithal light, the same dramatic illumination as in the Pantheon, an idea that architects and designers continue to use today. Many are adding modern twists with bright colors or simple shapes.

Skylights are getting more and more prominent in modern design:

• like placing one above your bed for a view of the stars as you sleep.
• having one in your bathroom for a private oasis.
• creating a sense of playfulness with reflected light off of a pool of water.
• defining different areas of your home, or watching light wash over stone textures.

Skylight Specialists, Inc

As Colorado’s premiere skylight company, we have over 40 years of experience with skylights. That’s why with every new install we send out an experienced technician to help with all needs and concerns, making sure you get the best product for your specific home and needs. We use our decades of experience to make sure none of these concerns ever bother you or that you even have to consider them. If you ever have an issue, we are here and stand behind our work. We’ll worry about the details so you don’t have to.

About Us

We are a family owned and operated company that believes in the work we do. We stand behind our high quality workmanship, customer service and the top of the line products we provide. Our commitment to maintaining long-term and highly skilled employees is second to none, giving us experience and knowledge that can be passed to you.