Skylights can improve the way your home looks, providing over 3 times more natural light than vertical windows to create a clean and fresh feel in your home.
But did you know they can also help reduce your household’s carbon footprint? Read on as we discuss the energy-efficient benefits that make skylights a significant design element and investment for your home.
The Ways Skylights Work To Improve The Energy Efficiency Of Your Home
Skylights can improve your home’s energy efficiency and save you money by reducing energy costs.
Lighting
Skylights allow an abundance of natural light to enter your home, reducing the need to use artificial lighting during the day. To ensure you get the maximum light out of your skylights, you should logically place them based on direction rather than aesthetic value.
Your skylights will benefit you more if they face a northern direction. If you place your windows in a southern direction, this will provide additional heat and light during the winter months. Skylights facing east or west can provide ample lighting but not as much heat as south-facing windows in the winter.
Heating
Given you use insulated wood, fibreglass, or vinyl window frames and double-paned windows, your skylights can reduce heat loss in your home and improve the insulation of your roof. If you opt for aluminium or steel framing or single-paned windows, your skylights will be relatively inefficient when it comes to keeping your home warm.
During the summer months, you can save on the cost of air conditioning and provide ventilation to stop your home from getting humid, keeping your space cool, bright, and fresh. Skylights provide both heating and cooling functions that can significantly reduce the cost of your energy bills.
Cleaner Air
Mould and mildew can be unsightly and costly to remove and remedy. If you install skylights in darker and more humid areas of your home, you can reduce dampness and allow greater airflow into the room. Airflow is critical in reducing the risk of mould and mildew building up and creating cleaner air to make spaces more breathable.
Mould removal can be expensive – ranging from anywhere between $500-$4,000 – so you will benefit from taking preventative measures and installing skylights in any dark areas in your home.
Adding Space
If you are looking to make your home appear more spacious, you can save on the cost of an extension by installing skylights. On top of the significant cost, an extension can cause inconvenience, making your house a building site for many months. Skylight installation is much simpler and uses fewer materials. Lower your carbon footprint while giving your home the added space and dimension you desire.
How To Maximise The Efficiency Of Your Skylights
You can take certain steps to ensure your skylights are adding to your home’s energy efficiency. These steps include:
- Adding blinds to your skylight – doing this will ensure that your skylights aren’t warmed by the sun in the summer, adding extra heat to your home.
- Ensuring your skylight is made from energy-efficient materials – ensure that your skylights provide insulation. Avoid steel or aluminium frames and ensure that the skylights are correctly installed without creating any drafts, which could cause heat loss.
If you don’t have the home layout for skylights, consider installing solar skylights that provide additional LED lighting for your home using purely solar energy. LED solar skylights make a suitable and sustainable alternative to traditional skylights.
Summary
Skylights aren’t just an attractive feature in your home. They can provide additional heating, lighting, and airflow that will save you money on costs like energy bills and mould removal. Invest in skylights if you are looking for a way to naturally light your home and offer better airflow without increasing your carbon footprint. Contact SolarPath today to speak to our experts about installing skylights or solar panels in your home.
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