Installing one or more skylights produces several benefits that include enhanced ventilation, improved energy efficiency, and a much brighter ambiance. Once the question of benefits gets answered, the next question involves deciding which of the many types of skylights works best for the room where you plan to install one.
Working with a team of certified skylight contractors helps you learn about your options, as well as understand where a skylight makes the best fit.
Fixed
As one of the most common types of skylights, a fixed skylight does not open to circulate air. With a complete seal on the roof, a fixed skylight works best in low illumination areas of your home, such as the attic and over an upper floor stairwell. Steel and aluminum represent the most common types of materials for designing a fixed skylight
Ventilated
Ventilated skylights serve several purposes, which makes them one of the most diversified types of skylights. This type of skylight does the best job of circulating air, which means they work best in areas of your home that require constant ventilation like the kitchen of an upper floor bathroom. You also can install a ventilated skylight over the living room to increase the amount of sunlight that enters your house.
Tubular
Tubular skylights do a great job of boosting the amount of natural illumination that enters a residential or commercial space. For example, installing several tubular skylights over an indoor greenhouse increases the amount of sunlight that plants receive. Because a tubular skylight works by using a parabolic lens, the skylight allows sunlight to enter your home regardless of the angle of the sun.
Pyramid
Usually installed on flat or slightly curved roofs, pyramid skylights off a variety of slope or pitch choices. The architect’s artistic vision or the structural design of your home determines the pitch of a pyramid skylight. Pyramid skylights fit best on the area of the roof that is over the family entertainment room. This type of skylight allows an abundance of sunlight to enter your home throughout the day.
Dome
Constructed with highly-durable plastic, dome skylights spread natural light over a large area of a living space. Whether you hang murals, paintings, and/or sculptures in the study and/or living room, installing a dome skylight highlights the best features of your most prized possessions. You should consider installing a dome skylight that includes two layers of insulation to improve the energy efficiency of your house.
Custom
If the condition of the roof does not permit the installation of one of the most common types of skylights, then installing custom skylights is the answer to your illumination needs. Custom skylights are a series of elegantly designed windows that welcome natural light into any living space. The most appealing space to install custom skylights is over the dining room and/or living room.
The Bottom Line
Not every type of skylight works in the same areas of your home. For example, custom skylights cover a much larger area, which means they are not as popular for installing over a bathroom as they are for installing over a living room. You also have to consider how much extra stress a skylight places on your roof. A curb skylight does not apply as much pressure on a roof as the pressure applied by a dome skylight.
Working with our team of certified skylight contractors ensures you choose the skylight that is the best fit for a certain area of your home.
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.
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