A skylight brings to mind an airy room in your home with plenty of natural light and a lovely view. Placing a skylight in just the right spot emphasizes your best spaces.
But skylights aren’t all upside, and as roofers, we know that their proper installation is critical. Today, we discuss what you need to know about skylights before making this home-improvement investment.
Skylights vs. Roof Windows
Skylights are glass panes that are installed into the roof.
A true skylight does not open or close, it just lets in light. If you are looking for an option that can open and close to help your home ventilate or just bring in more air, then you’re looking for a roof window. If you’d like to bring in natural light, but you’re not interested in the view–your space is dwarfed by taller buildings or the view isn’t pleasant–then you’re looking for a solar tunnel.
There are three main mounting options to consider with skylights:
- Flash-mounted: These are most often found in new construction, as they are hard to integrate with existing roofs.
- Curb-mounted: The installer or roofer adds a curb to this type of skylight to hold it up from the surface of the roof, a technique that limits leaks.
- Self-curbing: Self-curbing skylights have curbs specially made by the manufacturer for the skylight, which ensures a proper fit. These are the least likely to leak.
Pro tip: You should decide based on mitigating your overall risks for leaks.
Why Choose a Skylight?
Why should you add a skylight to your home? There are many benefits:
- Natural light
- Perception of the size of the room
- View out to the surrounding area
- Potential boost to home value
- Potential atmosphere during rain or snow
Proper Skylight Installation
As many homeowners who own improperly installed skylights will tell you, they can be a liability for leaks.
Skylights puncture right through your roof, and if not integrated with your roofing system correctly, they can cause consistent leaking and be challenging to fix. So, getting the installation right the first time is very important.
Proper skylight installation is quite a process and can vary depending on the type of skylight and its mounting system. However, here are some indispensable tips:
- Skylights typically require a minimum roof pitch of 3:12.
- The skylight should be sloped from 5 to 15 degrees higher than your latitude.
- The skylight should be placed for careful consideration of when it will allow in light.
- Skylights should be installed to shed water, not to contain it.
- Skylights should be installed far from other vulnerable areas: valleys, eaves, etc.
- Know what warranty you’re getting with your skylight and how leaks could be handled.
There’s no question that a skylight can add ambience and even value to your home. Just make sure you have all the necessary information, and choose a contractor that knows how to get the job done right.
The Len Roofing & Remodeling Difference
When we say that we’re a top-quality home remodeling and roofing company that serves the North Shore and surrounding Chicagoland area, we back it up. We do more than simply cover the basics: we show up on time and nail it. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 847-768-6000 or visit our contact page.
