Skylights are best included in the design of your Nevada home before you have it built. This is because you can immediately incorporate skylights into your total construction costs. You can also install one or more skylights on an existing roof, provided these make sense design-wise, fit into your desired space, and can be installed in a structurally sound way. If installation is indeed possible and you’re considering adding a skylight to your home, we’ve come up with a list of pros and cons to help you decide.
Skylights add grandeur and spaciousness to your home, increasing its market value.
Lighting
Pros
Your home becomes a brighter place to live in
A skylight is a great way to let sunshine into your home, especially in places that can’t have windows. Some skylights can create dramatic shafts of light during the day or feature dappling shadows of leaves and branches from the canopy above. Skylights are also perfect for stargazing.
Small spaces look larger
Skylights bring the outside in, providing spectacular views of the sky, and make rooms feel more airy. Flooding a cramped space with natural light also makes it look more spacious than it actually is.
You spend less on lighting during the day
When the sun is out, you won't need to turn on artificial lights in your space. This saves you a lot on energy costs.
You get to enjoy significant health benefits
The skin uses sunshine as a catalyst to derive vitamin D from cholesterol. This vitamin primarily helps the gut absorb calcium that strengthens bones, though it has many other benefits as well. Sunshine also helps thwart winter depression and seasonal affective disorder, and skylights let you enjoy it in the warm comfort of your own home.
Cons
The sun can get too bright
Sun glare may become blinding sometimes, though this can be easily addressed with shades or screens. Strong sunlight can also make carpets and fabric upholstery fade, but you can opt for low-emissivity or low-E skylight panes to keep damaging UV rays out.
Heating and ventilation
Pros
Extra sunlight makes winters warmer
This helps reduce heating costs. Older skylights may promote heat loss during cloudy days, but newer models feature low-E glass that helps keep heat in.
Mid- to top-range skylights can be opened manually or electronically to improve air flow
During hot days, you can open the skylight to let hot air escape and open your windows to let cool breezes in.
Cons
Faulty installations or substandard skylights can cause heat loss
You can’t cut corners with skylights because your heating costs will exceed whatever savings you initially made. Spending on superior skylight models and top-notch installation makes more economic sense in the long run.
Privacy
Cons
People on higher ground outside may get to peek inside your home
This is rarely a concern in low-density suburban areas where homes are far enough apart from one another, but if ever it is, then you can use one-way glass on your skylight.
Leaves, hail, and rainy weather
Cons
Skylights inevitably collect leaves and other debris
You’ll always need to have skylights cleaned after some time.
Hail and wind-flung objects may break your skylight
Owning a skylight means having to be mindful of the weather. If you live in an area where hailstorms regularly occur, then you may need to have a tarp, blanket, or wooden boards always at the ready. Alternatively, you can install permanent skylight screens.
Rain may cause moisture to leak through your skylight
Poorly installed skylights are prone to leaks, while the sealants of impeccably installed ones may also deteriorate and let water through over time. Skylight owners must therefore form the habit of always checking their skylight for leaks after every storm.
Cost
Pros
Skylights add tremendous aesthetic value to your home
Skylights add grandeur and spaciousness to your home, increasing its market value. This is a good consideration in case you plan to sell your house in the future.
Cons
Skylights are expensive
Skylights themselves can already cost a pretty penny, but installing a skylight in an existing roof entails an extensive — and expensive — renovation. Some installations may even require roof replacements. Beyond installation costs, you’ll also have to pay for the regular maintenance and occasional repairs of your skylights
If you decide to install skylights in your home, turn to D&D Roofing for first-rate roofing services. Request a free, no-obligation quote today.