The management teams at most businesses have historically viewed commercial skylights as a luxury. In other words, they viewed commercial skylights as an amenity that if any money remained in the budget at the end of a fiscal year, some of the remaining money might go to installing skylights. Management teams now view commercial skylights much differently, as they represent the present, not the future of modern commercial buildings for companies that want to remain highly competitive. Installing commercial skylights is now considered a company investment.

Let’s review the reasons why.

Investment in Employee Well-Being

Several studies have demonstrated that prolonged exposure to artificial light sources can be detrimental to a worker’s physical health. A study conducted by Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands revealed too much exposure to artificial light decreases muscle mass, weakens the immune system, and accelerates the aging process. Too much exposure to artificial light also disrupts sleep patterns, as well as increases the risks associated with health issues such as obesity and diabetes.

Another study that involved more than 1,600 employees concluded an abundant source of natural light can enhance the health of both customers and employees.

Investment in the Environment

You do not need to review a study that shows artificial lights consume a considerable amount of energy. Just look at the energy bills your company receives each month. The Energy Information Administration released a report stating residential and commercial structures consume more than six percent of all the electricity generated in the United States. Installing commercial skylights should dramatically reduce the consumption of energy by artificial light sources.

Increasing sunlight while reducing artificial lighting lowers your company’s carbon footprint, which is a substantial investment in the environment.

Investment in Worker Productivity

Sufficient lighting of any kind in an office space typically leads to higher productivity levels. Illumination triggers the pleasure sensory neurotransmitters that run throughout the brain. However, installing commercial sunlights does a much better job of motivating employees due to the sensory stimulation of getting to see, hear, and smell nature that is just outside the building. Fully enclosed office spaces produce a much more subdued, even depressing ambiance that stifles worker productivity.

Venting skylights do a great job of bringing your team members closer to nature.

Investment in Saving Money

The timeless business axion of “You have to spend money to make money” applies to installing commercial skylights. Although the initial investment is higher for installing commercial sunlights than it is for adding artificial light sources, the long-term result of installing commercial skylights is that your company saves considerably more money. This is because you do not have to maintain the infrastructure created for artificial light sources and the reduced consumption of energy means your business pays less in utility bills.

Installing Velux commercial skylights is an effective investment in saving money.

Investment in Aesthetics

Here is another timeless business axiom: “You never get a second chance to make a positive first impression.” What is the first impression that clients or customers have when they step into your building? If the first impression is the attractive presentation of skylights in the lobby, then the first impression received is that your company is committed to offering high-quality products and services.

Investing in commercial skylights also is an investment in creating aesthetic appeal.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

Wild weather has defined the start of 2023, from record snow levels in the California mountains to tornadic storms in the deep south to a nor’easter plaguing New England. Commercial property insurance can protect your assets against the damage caused by the wrath of Mother Nature. However, one question deserves an answer for commercial property owners.

Are commercial skylights covered by property insurance after a big storm? The answer in most cases is it depends on the type of coverage you have purchased for your business.

Business property insurance policies should always include a clause that describes in detail how a business can recover the financial losses generated by roof damage. Commercial skylights represent the showcase component of a roof and in most cases, business property insurance covers the cost of replacing damaged commercial skylights or repairing the leaks that have developed around one or more structurally compromised commercial skylights.

You installed commercial skylights to reap the many benefits associated with the property enhancements. Commercial skylights such as Velux Sun Tunnel Skylights invite much more natural sunlight into a room, which brightens the mood of the employees working in the room. Improved mood often translates into higher productivity rates. Commercial skylights also enhance the visual appeal of a business, which typically increases the value of the property. Finally, installing commercial skylights reduces energy bills by trapping heat in winter and preventing heat from entering a building during the warmer months of the year.

How Does Your Business Property Insurance Address Roof Leaks

Because of the potential for storms to cause roof leaks, your business property insurance policy should include a clause that specifically addresses the damage inflicted on commercial skylights. The key to determining whether your policy pays for roof repairs involves determining the cause of the damage. The most common types of extreme weather that damage roofs include hail, strong winds, and the development of ice jams. Every business insurance policy contains a section declaring the hazards that the policy covers.

Although your business property insurance policy should cover the most common types of extreme weather that impact your area of the country, you also should consider covering the more infrequent weather events. For example, many businesses in Texas did not insure their properties against ice and snow damage, which became a major financial distress issue after the polar vortex unleashed its destruction in February 2021.

What Are the Signs of Weather-Related Commercial Skylight Damage?

Identifying the signs of weather-related commercial skylight damage is an important item on your list of maintenance tasks.

Cracks

The strong impacts inflicted by hail and flying debris can cause cracks to form on commercial skylights, as well as the sealing agents used to secure the skylights on a roof. One of the first signs of a structurally compromised commercial skylight is the development of visible cracks.

Wind Drafts

Perhaps you cannot see the cracks that develop as the result of a big storm. However, you might be able to feel wind drafts, especially if the temperature of the drafts is in stark contrast to the temperature in the space where the commercial skylights provide natural sunlight.

Condensation

Skylight condensation forms when warm, humid air rises to the ceiling to interact with colder air filtering in from outdoors. The result can be signs of discoloration or even the discovery of one or more areas where a commercial skylight leaks.

The Bottom Line: Know What Your Policy Covers

Before the start of the severe weather season that defines your area, review your business property insurance policy to determine whether skylights receive coverage in the event of a severe weather outbreak. For example, if you operate a business in Buffalo, New York, ensure your business property insurance policy covers the roof damage inflicted by blizzards.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

It is amazing what natural sunlight can do for an office.

Installing commercial skylights represents the most effective way to boost natural light, while reducing the use of artificial light. Artificial lighting sources can consume 40 percent of the total energy used to keep a building operating at full capacity. Installing skylights has the potential to decrease energy costs by up to 80 percent. Commercial skylights also enhance the ambiance of a workplace, which in turn boosts employee morale and productivity. Adding skylights also places less stress on the environment.

Your company made a significant investment to enjoy the many benefits associated with installing commercial skylights. Now, you have to take steps to preserve the performance of your new office addition by following a few suggested care and maintenance tips.

Follow a Regular Cleaning Schedule

Installed at the top or side of a building, skylights face several sources of dust, dirt, and grime. Pollen collects on skylights, as does the ammunition used by birds to mark their presence in the world. Following a regular schedule for cleaning skylights should be a priority, but you must follow a system that protects the integrity of your office improvement investment.

Use a soft, clean sponge or a non-metal squeegee to clean the surface of the skylights. Stay away from abrasive cleaners, as they can cause irreparable damage to glass surfaces. Instead, you should be able to get your commercial skylights clean by using clean, warm water. For more difficult stains to remove, use a non-abrasive household cleaner.

Eliminate Condensation

Depending on the type of commercial skylight, prolonged exposure to condensation can cause rust and corrosion to develop. If not addressed promptly, condensation can compromise the structural strength of a skylight. Unlike cleaning, which follows a regular schedule, you should take care of condensation issues on days when the humidity rises to an uncomfortable level. Keeping the office temperature at no more than 68 degrees Fahrenheit is another way to inhibit the development of condensation on your commercial skylights.

Frozen Precipitation

Ice dams can become a destructive problem for a roof and the same principle also can negatively impact the lifespan of commercial skylights. You must be proactive whenever frozen precipitation builds on the roof. Although a high-quality commercial skylight brand such as VELUX creates products that do a good job of withstanding the damage caused by frozen precipitation, you should be proactive and remove snow and ice from the roof immediately after it collects.

Maintenance

As with a regular cleaning schedule, you also should follow a regular maintenance schedule for your commercial skylights. Inspect the condition of the skylights every time the maintenance team inspects the condition of the roof. Hiring an experienced contractor to inspect your skylights ensures you receive a comprehensive inspection that includes examining the condition of the flashing to prevent buckling. After a severe weather event, hiring a contractor to conduct a thorough inspection of the skylights can detect any cracks or breaks that might develop into a serious problem down the road.

The Bottom Line

Installing commercial skylights represents one of the most substantial investments your company makes in improving the mood of the office. However, it is a worthwhile investment if your company takes the time to clean and perform maintenance on a regular basis.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

If you are considering commercial skylights for your building, you have a wide variety of options and configurations to choose from that help you achieve your goals. For example, some brands of commercial skylights specialize in spreading more light over a large office to help improve morale. On the other hand, other brands of commercial skylights specialize in lowering energy costs, which during an era of high energy bills, has become a common goal among both businesses and nonprofit organizations.

What Are the Benefits of Commercial Skylights?

Is it worth the time and money to invest in the installation of commercial skylights for your building? If a growing number of businesses that have made the investment is any indication, the answer is a resounding yes.

Commercial skylights decrease energy consumption, which is a huge plus for both the environment and your company’s bottom line. Typically constructed with durable seals, commercial skylights do a great job of keeping out cold air in winter and hot air during summer. An increase in sunlight represents a cost-effective strategy to boost morale, which in turn enhances productivity. More natural light improves mental health as well. Brightening the interior of your building produces a more attractive interior, which makes the all-important positive first impression on everyone who visits your building.

The Most Popular Types of Commercial Skylights

Working with a team of certified skylight contractors can help you decide which of the following types of most popular commercial skylights work best for your building.

Architectural

Architectural skylights possess a large structural frame that contractors install into the ceiling of large commercial buildings. An architect who designs a large, open area inside a commercial building might opt to install architectural skylights to achieve the largest area of coverage for sunlight to enter a room.

Curb Mount

Not every business requires the installation of large commercial skylights. A case in point is small retail spaces, such as restaurants and grocery stores. These individual commercial skylights mount inside a raised curb to limit the amount of space taken up in a small retail establishment.

Dome

Dome skylights represent one of the most popular types of skylights for residences, but the most appropriate application is for installing them in commercial structures. This type of commercial skylight contains rugged thermoplastic that withstands strong impacts and prolonged exposure to harsh weather conditions.

Translucent Walls

In a commercial building where achieving maximum possible sunlight is the desired goal, translucent wall skylights expand the amount of natural light available for larger rooms. Translucent wall skylights brighten up public buildings such as aquatic centers and botanical gardens.

Vaulted

As one of the most complex types of commercial skylights, vaulted skylights have a series of transparent panels that are arranged in raised shapes that look like pyramids. The raised shape makes it easy to maintain this type of commercial skylight. Vaulted skylights work best in large, high-traffic areas such as shopping malls and transportation centers.

The Bottom Line

The features of commercial skylights differ in some ways from the features of residential skylights. If your company is ready to move forward with installing commercial skylights, make sure to hire a team of contractors that specialize in installing the most popular types of commercial skylights.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

Commercial skylights offer several benefits for businesses searching for ways to brighten up the workplace. Welcoming in more natural light enhances the mood of employees, which leads to higher productivity because of improved morale. Natural light also produces more heat that comes in handy for businesses operating in colder climates. Instead of turning up the thermostat and thus, increasing the monthly energy bill, commercial skylights act as a natural thermostat to maintain a comfortable work environment. Less energy consumed makes commercial skylights an eco-friendly addition to any office space.

Because of the many benefits, the decision to install commercial skylights did not take much time to make. Instead, the difficult question to answer is what type of commercial skylights work best for your business

Dome vs. Flat: Which Skylight Delivers More Benefits?

Although adding flat commercial skylights delivers several benefits, you can do better by installing dome skylights.

More Light Enters a Space

The primary reason for installing commercial skylights is to increase the amount of sunlight that enters an office space. With their curved surfaces, dome skylights allow more natural light into a room when compared to flat skylights. The curved design used for dome skylights bends sunlight enough to spread out the natural light for more coverage. An increase in natural light translates into enhanced employee morale.

Resists Weather-Related Damage

One distinct disadvantage of flat skylights is that they tend to collect substantial amounts of rain and snow. Accumulation of precipitation can cause lingering performance issues if you do not immediately remove the rain and snow. Once again, the curved design of dome skylights is an advantage because it forces rain and snow to slide off the surface. The ability for moisture to slide off a dome skylight ensures the light presents clarity when it lets sunlight into an office space.

More Energy Efficient

In an era of spiraling upward costs, energy efficiency remains an important consideration when selecting the right type of skylight for your business. This is especially true for restaurants that operate on razor-thin budgets. Since manufacturers use acrylic to manufacture most types of dome skylights, the incredibly durable, yet lightweight material does a great job of trapping heat. You can improve the energy efficiency of your business even more by following a helpful tip.

Why Are Double Dome Skylights Superior to Single Dome Skylights?

The more, the merrier is an appropriate euphemism when discussing the comparison between single and double dome commercial skylights. Adding a layer of long-lasting acrylic to a dome skylight boosts the energy efficiency of your business. Double dome commercial skylights trap more heat to produce a much more comfortable office environment. The additional insulation also keeps in more cool air when the Bay Area goes through a heat wave. Adding a second dome layer does a better job of preventing condensation, as well as acts as a sound barrier to prevent outside noises from distracting your team of high achievers.

The Bottom Line

You can extend the lifespan of your double-dome commercial skylights by following a few time-tested tips. First, invest in a quality material such as acrylic that withstands the worst weather and the strongest impacts. Second, follow the maintenance schedule printed on the package to ensure optimal long-term performance. Third, contact a team of professional skylight installers to install the set of double-dome commercial skylights that can improve the bottom line of your business.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

Commercial skylights deliver several benefits for employers that operate out of office buildings. The elegant solution for adding more light to an office space works especially well when installed in overhead spaces where they receive direct sunlight throughout most of the day. Installing skylights requires conducting a cost-benefit analysis in which the benefits far outweigh the costs. One of the benefits, which often does not get the attention it deserves, concerns saving money that improves your business’s bottom line.

In an era when inflation has taken hold of the world economy, saving money to boost the bottom line becomes an even more important management goal. Let’s see how adding skylights helps your company meet its bottom line goal.

Decrease in Energy Consumption

According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), commercial and residential lighting sources consume about 10 percent of the electricity used in the country. Installing skylights, which produce more sunlight to warm up an office space, can significantly reduce your company’s energy consumption. The less energy used, the lower your monthly utility bills.

Another benefit of reduced energy consumption is your business leaves behind less of a carbon footprint.

Enhanced Productivity

One of the keys to improving your company’s bottom line involves improving the productivity of your team members. More work completed in less time equals a decrease in labor costs. Adding skylights welcomes in much more natural light to brighten often dull and drab-looking office spaces. Numerous studies have connected exposure to light with improved mood, which for employees means better moods to complete more work in less time.

Morale is the key component to increasing productivity and installing skylights represents the most effective way to improve morale by receiving much more natural light from the sun.

Healthier Workforce

Exposure to plenty of natural light reduces the level of cortisol in the blood. Excessive cortisol typically produces more stress on the body, which can cause symptoms such as bone loss, chronic fatigue, and muscle weakness. Generating more natural light ensures your team members reduce stress, which leads to healthier bodies. A healthier workforce means less money spent on healthcare procedures, which boosts your company’s bottom line.

Installing Velux Sun Tunnel skylights can improve the health of your team members.

Improved Concentration

Enhancing employee productivity is all about getting more done in less time, while improving concentration is all about limiting costly mistakes. With a more pleasant ambiance created by natural light, your team members should improve their concentration to lower the number of mistakes that negatively impact your company’s bottom line. Employees that do a better job of focusing on tasks and projects also get more done in less time.

The Bottom Line

Installing skylights deliver several benefits, but is the capital investment worth producing more natural light in your office building? Yes, you have to make an infrastructure investment that puts a dent in the company budget, but the savings your company enjoys eventually cover the cost of installing skylights. In addition to improving the bottom line by saving money, your company should also benefit from an increase in sales.

Mares & Dow

Contact your local skylight contractors at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today to transform your home. We have over 40 years of installation and consulting experience.

One of your responsibilities as a business owner is to keep your workers motivated. Businesses do best when their workers are inspired to work hard. While there are a multitude of ways to inspire your workers, you can always count on the fundamentals of well-being.

A basic fundamental is access to natural light, particularly during the daytime. If your office doesn’t have many windows, or is large enough that your workers are seated beyond daylight’s reach, you can contact commercial skylight installers to open up your ceiling and allow light from above.

If you’re uncertain about how commercial skylights, such as sun tunnels,  can contribute to well-being, know that they can inspire your workers in two key ways:

Natural light helps them stay awake

You can’t control when your workers sleep or if they get enough rest at home, but you can influence their sleep schedules with natural light. 

A lack of natural light interrupts the circadian rhythm, which functions as the body’s internal clock and helps determine when to fall asleep and stay awake. Relying heavily on artificial lights, which can be 250 times dimmer than natural light, further throws off the circadian rhythm. A worker who spends their eight-hour workday in an artificially-lit office might be sleepier, because their body clock doesn’t have natural light to prompt its understanding of time.

Exposure to natural light can align the body clock with the daycycle, prompting your workers to stay awake. If your workers consistently work in natural light, their circadian rhythms will shift into a more natural pattern. They’ll be inclined to sleep in the evening, and wake earlier in the morning. Some workers might reduce their caffeine intake and use your skylight as a natural energy boost.

Natural light increases their comfort 

Another way to inspire workers is to make their work space comfortable. A Cornell University professor found that people who work in daylight offices have significantly lower incidences of eyestrain, headaches, and drowsiness. People have a harder time focusing on work when they’re uncomfortable. If their discomfort is continuous, it can compound into an overall decrease in their well-being and a poor employee experience.

Unhappy workers don’t stay at businesses for long, and while they’re still working for you, they won’t be inclined to work hard for your business. By adjusting your office to increase your employees’ comfort, you show workers you care for their well-being. This can inspire them to work more productively, and to speak well about your business to job candidates.

Ready to turn your daylight office dream into a reality? Contact the commercial skylight installers at Mares & Dow Construction and Skylights today for information.

Once you’ve decided to invest in commercial skylights for your business or property, it’s important to find the right contractor for the job. Just as you would research and vet for other structurally significant projects like retaining wall contractors, a skilled commercial skylight installer is key for the integrity of the finished product. When it comes to selecting your contractor, you can approach the process as you would for other positions in your business: research your options, conduct interviews, and choose the candidate who offers the best value. 

Research your options

One of the first steps in your research process is to define your objectives. This will help you to determine which commercial skylight contractors are viable options for your project needs. When outlining your objectives, consider your timeline, budget, and any unique project specifications, such as particular skylight brands you would like to use or known challenges for installation. Once you have put these items together, cast your net for local contractors. It can be helpful to ask other trusted contractors or vendors in your network who they recommend to start building your list. Some skylight brands such as Velux also provide a directory of vetted skylight specialists who provide installation and contracting services locally. 

Interview for the job

Now that you have a list of potential contractors, you can begin the interview process. As you discuss your project with them, be sure to communicate your budget, timeline, and skylight preferences and do a walk-through of your property. The site visit is helpful for the contractor to get a clear idea of what the installation process will entail and how it will impact your operations, and it is helpful for you as the contractor may be able to provide new insights and ideas for the project. An experienced contractor will be able to tell you what to expect from the installation process and offer references from previous customers. It is a good idea to follow up on these references, either by reaching out by phone or visiting the property to see the skylights for yourself. Testimonials from happy clients can tell you a lot about both the quality of the contractor’s work and their level of professionalism throughout the project. 

Find the best value

From the contractors you interviewed, select two or three and request bids for the project. While the tendency may be to go with the lowest bid, the quoted price is not the best primary metric for evaluation. A low bid can be a red flag for cutting corners with the quality of the materials or with job-site safety, or for tacking on expenses once the project has started. Look for the proposal that best aligns with your project needs and displays an attention to detail in the breakdown of the cost of materials, labor, the contractor’s take home, and other expenses. 

Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights has been serving the Bay Area since 1983.  Our skylight contractors can help you with your next project. Contact us today to get started!