Toronto skylight services

Skylight - yes or no ?

A new skylight can completely change the character of a room, adding

brightness, a sense of spaciousness, and style. It can scatter sunbeams 

throughout a dreary kitchen, brighten a dark bathroom, capture a view 

from an attic room, or provide a starry-skied bedtime panorama.

A skylight can save you money, too. In addition to reducing the need to use

electric lights, it can deliver warmth in the winter and cooling in the 

summer, minimizing the need for fuel-based heating and air conditioning.

On winter days, the sun’s radiant energy can shine through a south - or 

west-facing skylight to warm interior surfaces. And in the summer, a 

ventilating skylight can promote air circulation by releasing the warm air

that naturally rises.

The trick in making these savings a reality - and in keeping your home 

comfortable - is to choose the right materials and features, and place the

skylight where it can do the best job.

Types  of  Skylights

Skylights may be plastic or glass, fixed or operable, and made in any

number of sizes and styles. They can have insulated glazing, UV-blocking

capabilities, louvers, shades, and more. Knowing the right materials, the

proper size, and the appropriate features to meet your needs is critically 

important. To help you focus on the particular qualities to look for in a 

skylight, please see:

    - Fixed or Operable Skylights / Deck mounted or Curb mounted

    - Skylight Construction

    - Skylight Blind and Shads

    - Sun Tunnel Skylights, Rigid and Flexible

Planning a Skylight 

Keep in mind one important fact: 

A skylight will only work in a room that is either directly below the roof or

is below an unfinished attic space. 

If you want to install a skylight in a room that has an attic above, you’ll

need to build a light shaft through the attic.

 The shape of a light shaft controls the spread of the natural light beam.

 A shaft that’s flared on all four sides spreads light over the widest area. 

 A perpendicular shaft with vertical sides focuses the light straight below.

 A shaft flared on only one or two sides sends more light in the direction of

 the flared sides. 

 When planning a skylight installation, be sure to take into consideration

 the sun’s path. Skylights on the south- or west-facing portion of the roof

 will collect direct sun - skylights facing north or east may not get any

 direct sunlight. A skylight that receives direct sun can become an intense

 heat trap in the summer unless it includes shades, blinds, or some form of

 controlling sunlight.

Similarly, a skylight placed in a bedroom can offer a nighttime view of the

stars but, if it doesn’t have some form of daylight blocking shade, it can

also offer a rude awakening at daybreak. Of course, any skylight that is

intended to provide a view must be kept clean, so ease of maintenance 

becomes a factor in choice of location and the type of skylight.

Sizing and placing a roof window in an attic room so that it captures a

view calls for careful planning. The roof’s slope will affect proper 

placement. A low-sloping roof will require a taller window than a steeper

roof for the same amount of view. Manufacturers of roof windows have

charts that list recommendations based on the slope of the roof.