Let the Sun Shine in with a Skylight

by Christopher Wittmann

Some days I feel like I’m living in a cave….

What I mean by that is trees surround our house and even though there is light filtering in, it’s not throughout the entire house.  So my wife and I are planning to install multiple skylights.

There are many options for skylights and we plan to use an app we downloaded from Velux to help us choose.  The Skylight Planner app, which is available for anybody to download, will let us see how different skylights will look in our home.

Our home in the suburbs is relatively new, but skylights are appropriate for any age home and any style.  We install quite a few skylights for homeowners who have bungalows and do attic conversions to create additional living space.  Skylights can also function as egress windows, also called roof windows and come in two styles, a balcony roof window and a top-hinged roof window.

A balcony roof window allows the window to open out to create a small balcony.  Plus it can also be used as an emergency exit.  A top-hinged roof window has a 45-degree opening angle for maximum ventilation.

Skylights that open (vented) are one type; but there are also fixed skylights, which provide light but not an opening, and tubular skylights, which allow light in, but not a view of the sky.

It’s a personal preference whether you want fixed or vented, but a vented skylight gives you the option of fresh air exchange, venting the house of odors and humidity, as well as cooling it in hot weather.  Open up the skylight plus another lower window and you will get good cross ventilation that will get the heat out of the house.  Vented skylights can be controlled manually or via remote control.

In this climate, the best glass to use is laminated glazed.  That means there is an additional layer of glass laminated to the outside of the dual-paned tempered glass.  Laminated glass features a triple-layer of LoE3 coating for energy efficiency plus a laminated pane for added safety and protection from fade-causing UV rays.

If heat and sun becomes an issue, you can purchase a built-in blind system, which can also be controlled with remote control.

The newest skylight option is solar powered – no wiring required to remotely open and close the skylight.  As its name suggests, it’s powered by a solar device outside of the skylight, which gives it energy and charges the battery that powers the remote control.  It also has an integrated rain sensor that will close the skylight automatically when it rains.

If you are considering replacing an old skylight or adding a new one, this would be a good time because the solar-powered skylights currently qualify for a 30 percent tax credit!

Skylights once got a bad rap for leakage, but Velux has a no-leak skylight, backed by a no-leak promise.  It carries a 10-year installation warranty, plus 20 years on glass, 10 years on product, and five years on blinds and controls.  A pre-attached deck seal, adhesive underlayment and factory-engineered flashing provides triple protection.  However, the warranty may be void if professional installers do not do the installation.

In smaller locations, such as hallways or closets, you can use the tubular Sun Tunnel™ skylight.  The Sun Tunnel is a low-profile installation, about 14 inches in diameter.  A super reflective light shaft reflects the solar light down the tube.  It can also be wired to use as additional overhead light.

Skylights can be installed on virtually any type of roof, and are typically installed to fit within the specific framing of the roof, whether it’s a truss system or rafters.  However, it can be framed out to do a larger skylight installation.  Another option is to use multiple skylights either horizontally or vertically.

The benefits of adding a skylight are many.  It brings in natural light, which is a real plus during Wisconsin winters.  It positively alters the way we feel about our living space.  It adds a bit of drama to the décor, and it also is a privacy feature.  If you live in a neighborhood where homes are close to each other, there are times when you will want your windows closed and blinds drawn.  But with a skylight, you can bring in natural light as well as fresh air.