The hot and dry climate conditions experienced in Colorado include high altitudes and powerful sun, and the fluctuating weather patterns in the state make it an ideal location to place skylights in homes and buildings. Colorado receives over 300 days of sun yearly; therefore, installing skylights in Colorado will help bring natural light into homes, thus minimizing artificial lighting and bills! Natural daylight is also great for your health.
Skylight installation can also assist in controlling temperatures within the room as it may be used for passive heating during the cold seasons and letting in fresh air during the summer months.
What will you learn in this blog:
In this blog post, Colorado Home Services will guide you through the process of choosing the perfect skylight for your Colorado home.
What Are Skylights?
Skylights are openings in the roof or ceiling of a building that are designed to admit light. They are meant to make indoor spaces as bright as possible with the help of natural day lighting from above. Skylights can be constructed in various dimensions and forms, and can either be of the fixed type or the vented type, which can be opened to allow air circulation.
Skylights are usually made from solid materials like glass or plastic. They may have a specific layer on its surface to protect the latter from UV radiation and to provide better heat storage. Skylights can provide additional natural lighting in a home or office, which makes the atmosphere more natural and uses less electricity than artificial lighting.
Types of Skylights
Natural light from windows also benefits the atmosphere, and with Colorado skylights, energy consumption may also be lower. They are available in several forms, each ideal for a specific purpose and structure.
Below are the main types of skylights to help you understand which might be the best fit for your space:
Venting Skylights
Ventilation skylights are unique in their design, not only for lighting but also for home ventilation. These can be opened for fresh air, making them appropriate for places like the kitchen, the bathroom, and other areas that require fresh and clean air to circulate all the time.
Electrically Powered Skylights
Electrically operated skylights have buttons that allow the skylight to be opened and closed using a remote control or a wall switch. Some models come with rain sensors that close the skylight the moment it begins to rain to prevent water seepage into your house.
Solar-Powered Skylights
These are run by solar power and do not require any electrical wiring to make them work. These skylights have a solar panel, and the battery it comes with powers the operation of opening and closing the skylight. They are an environmentally friendly option and also help to save on your home’s energy bills.
Fixed Skylights
These lights are almost like a window and not intended for ventilation as they are permanently installed. It is ideal for those places where you need extra lighting during the day but don’t require the fresh air or to open the skylight itself.
Curb-Mounted Skylights
Curb-mounted skylights are built into a raised frame or curb above the roofline. This type of skylight is also suitable for pitched roofs and offers a sound, watertight option in terms of design and functionality.
Deck-Mounted Fixed Skylights
These are placed on the roof deck, making them ideal for flat roof construction. They are sleek in design and usually have a low height, thus making them easier to install than the curb-mounted skylights models.
Sun Tunnels or Solar Tubes
Sun tunnels cost less than other natural light sources in rooms without roof access. They are highly reflective tubes that direct light from a small dome fitted on the roof to the needed room below. A sun tunnel is ideal for interior rooms such as halls, closets, and bathrooms if normal skylights cannot be installed.
You can enhance your home with sustainable, natural daylight with Velux skylights, which are available here at Colorado Home Services. The bubble skylight incorporates cutting-edge and high-end glass technology, ensuring the highest standards of safety and innovation.
Do Skylights Bring Sky-High Energy Bills?
Skylights are often seen as a way to increase natural light in a home, but there's a common concern: Do they result in excessive energy costs? Skylights can lead to additional energy costs depending on the energy efficiency of the skylights or how well they were integrated. During summer, poorly designed skylights allow significant amounts of heat to be let in, but during winter, too much heat escapes through such lights, thus forcing your heater to work harder to keep your home warm. The same applies to your home cooling system.
However, with today’s modern skylight types, Low-E coatings, insulated glazing, and correct installation methods are employed to reduce heat transfer to the rooms below. Skylights can help save money by cutting back on electric lighting during the day and passive solar heating during the colder months (if done correctly) and used in conjunction with other energy-efficient devices.
Choosing The Right Skylight For Your Home
Choosing the right skylight for your home involves considering various factors to ensure it effectively meets your needs and enhances your living space.
Consider Your Climate
Some things to consider when choosing your skylight include the climate of your region. Winter in Colorado can be quite severe, while summer is very hot. Therefore, efficiency when using energy is critical for your energy bills and comfort.
Choose skylights with insulated glazing and low emissivity coatings to limit heat loss in winter and reduce heat transfer in summer. It will maintain the best energy efficiency throughout the year and reasonably control the indoor climate automatically.
Functionality
Reflect on how you plan to utilize the skylight. Are you mainly opting to install the skylight for increased light, air circulation, or both aspects? Various types of skylights, such as venting skylights, are beneficial in places like the kitchen or the bathroom where aeration is necessary. Non-vented fixed skylights are also ideal for providing continuous natural light into the living areas, excluding the provision of air circulation. This assessment of functionality aids in identifying a skylight type that is appropriate for the needs of the property.
Location
Determine which areas of your home should contain the necessary skylight. Consider the geographic direction of your roof, the placement of rooms in relation to the sun, the type of climate, etc. South-facing skylights are used where there is an all-day exposure to the sun, while the north-facing skylights do not have direct sunlight, but it is consistent throughout the day. Awareness of your home’s layout aids in managing the kind of light and heat and its admission in a manageable manner.
Energy Efficiency
Selecting the correct type of skylight, especially one that will reduce heat transfer and costs is always essential. Select skylights with Low-E coatings, insulated glazing, and efficient frames that enhance energy-efficient performance. Research has indicated that natural light obtained through skylights can reduce daylight lighting energy usage by as much as 80%.
Properly installing such systems is also essential to reduce or eliminate air loss and thus enhance energy efficiency. High-efficient glazed roof doors can retain a moderate internal environment and diffuse much less artificial light.
Size and Shape
The size and shape of the skylight affect the elegance and the usability. More natural light can enter the house through the large skylights. The size of the skylight must be in proportion to the size of the room, together with the space available on the roof. The shape should reflect the general house architecture and roofing while considering the intended lighting.
Budget
Before initiating the skylight project, it is crucial to set a financial plan that will incorporate not only the cost of the actual skylight but also installation and the possibility of alterations to the roof. Research the various types of skylights available on the market, the natural advantages of each, and the cost before deciding. Remember the longevity of the energy cost savings and any possible rebates for utilizing energy-efficient skylights.
Quality and Warranty
Use high-quality skylights manufactured by reputable companies that can guarantee the best quality skylights that offer the best service. When selecting a skylight, ensure you settle on one with warranties for the product and the work done. Specifically, high-quality ones should be able to accommodate the fluctuating weather in Colorado without requiring frequent repair and maintenance.
Hire A Professional Skylight Installer
Here’s why you should hire a Colorado skylight installation expert!
Expertise and Experience
Skylight specialists have experience and knowledge in implementing skylights. They know the peculiarities of different kinds of roofs and various roof materials to ensure they provide a good and safe installation.
Compliance and Safety
Proficient skylight experts understand local building standards of construction and safety provisions. Skylight experts ensure that the skylight installation is proper and has gone through all the safety precautions and code of construction regulations so you don’t have to worry about that.
Preventing Damage
Failure to install the skylights correctly or use the proper method can cause water leaks, destruction of building structures, and many more hazardous issues. Qualified personnel employ the correct skills and equipment to ensure your roof and interior are not damaged. Furthermore, they also provide skylight repair and skylight maintenance when needed.
Things to Know Before Buying Skylights For Your Home
Various decisions can be made regarding installing skylights, so it is crucial to make conscious choices to make the best out of the investment.
Research
If you are considering installing skylights, ensure you conduct adequate research to understand their types and benefits. Search for more facts on promoting natural light at home and how using skylights is effective, especially given the natural light source in Colorado. It is necessary to look into reputable brands and top-rated skylights specialists like Colorado Home Services to find the right solutions.
Measurements
Proper measurements are essential when choosing the right size and location of the skylights. Determine the dimensions of the area on your roof or ceiling where the installation will occur to correctly fit and align the installation. The roof slope, the interior layout, and potential obstructions affect the daylighting efficiency.
Installation
Look for local providers specializing in daylight skylight. Whether you are in Denver, Fort Collins, or Colorado Springs, skylights specialists can help. Professional installation ensures proper waterproofing, insulation & sealing, maximizing energy efficiency, and preventing leaks for your home.
If you want to learn more about skylight installation, click here.
Safety
It is also essential to follow proper safety procedures, especially when installing or maintaining your skylight. Ensure installers are safe by adhering to specific safety measures and using the right tools. Optional enhancements like tempered or laminated glass should be incorporated to keep the glass from cracking or shattering.
Consider Solar Tube Skylights
If you have any place in your home where it is impossible to install traditional skylight windows, consider installing a solar tube skylight. Sun tunnels or solar tubes are affordable ways to provide light to the interior if one has no direct access to roofs. They come in handy for hallways, closets, or bathrooms; you can even add them without much effort.
Evaluate Energy Efficiency
Select low-conductivity skylights with additional properties such as insulated glazing and low-emissivity coating for the most incredible energy efficiency. Well-installed skylights can effectively diminish the need for artificial lighting and enhance the internal climate with reasonable heat transfer rates.
Pick the most appropriate skylights to illuminate your Colorado home and improve its look and feel.
Conclusion
When appropriately implemented, selecting the proper skylight improves natural light, energy efficiency, and comfort for Colorado homeowners. Daylighting requirements, dimensions, correct installation procedures, safety, and energy conservation are vital concerns that provide insight into what best fits the space.
For expert skylight installation and services tailored to your home, trust Colorado Home Services with your project. Our team specializes in daylighting and skylights, and offers professional installation, maintenance, and repair services to ensure your skylights perform optimally for years to come.
FAQs
How To Choose The Right Skylight?
Look for the size of the hood, type (fixed or vented, tubular), glazing (glass or plastic), and energy efficiency. Select the type of skylight that will blend with your house's architecture and the needs of the climate in your region.
What Is The Rule Of Thumb For Skylights?
A general principle is that skylights should be at most 5% of the floor area in rooms with many windows and 15% in rooms with few windows.
How Do You Decide Where To Put Skylights?
Position the skylights in areas that will bring in enough natural light without causing this problem or heating up excessively. A few critical factors include the room's orientation, the slope of the roof, and possible physical barriers such as trees, buildings, and the like.
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