My Husband recently installed a skylight in our spare room at home and while his handywork was okay, I am thinking we should have used the guys from http://www.skylightsforhomes.net/. It would have saved a lot of grief. I am reprinting an article from their website to help you all out. Send me an email if you need more help or go to our Facebook page to get the details.
With utility prices going through the roof many a home owner is heard yelling “Turn that light off”. With some households experiencing quarterly bills as high as their weekly wage, turning to a skylight is the answer to their prayers. A skylight will brighten up the darkest recess of your home be it a hallway, stairway or a well used room.
To the uninitiated it can be a daunting task determining which type of skylight you need for your home so I will explain your options here. Like a lot of things, it is not a case of one skylight fits all. There are various parameters to consider when purchasing a skylight and these will be addressed as well.
Round Acrylic Dome Skylight – This type of skylight is the most common used in homes because of the effectiveness of them and the ease of installation. Any DIY homeowner could install one within hours and be getting the benefits on day one. With the 12 inch and 16 inch models being the most popular for standard homes, it keeps the price in the range that most people can afford. The kit consists of the acrylic dome, flashing, light tube, diffuser and internal ring. Any reputable seller of these will include a complete installation manual to do the job properly.
Solartube Skylight – Because these units can be operated by remote control, you determine how much light is let into the room you are trying to brighten up. These are very popular with weekend DIY’ers as the installation is straight forward. They are the chosen model of new home buyers and recent sales figures suggest they are used in any climate because of the fact the volume of daylight allowed in can be pre set. Homes in cooler climates can still enjoy this type of skylight.
Roof Window – Primarily used in homes with lofts or attics, the type of skylight is also becoming popular in most modern homes that have cathedral ceilings. They are protected with double insulated glass giving it strength but has an appealing look to it especially when fitted with a roof window blind. You can have either a permanently closed window or fully open. Opening a roof window is by either remote control or a pole that hooks into an attachment for easy winding.
Let’s face it, we are not all champion do-it-yourselfers are we? Sometimes we have to swallow our pride and admit that these type of jobs should be left to the pros. I had no hesitation calling a roofing company to install my two skylights because at the end of the day I wanted it done correctly. I was happy with the finished product that only true tradesmen can supply and my wife was ecstatic I didn’t fall off the roof. Regardless which one of the 3 above you select, do yourself a favour and get a registered tradesman to do the job. Trust me on this one.
Source: http://skylightsforhomes.net/insular-dome-curb-mounted-and-plastic-skylights.html – Colorado Skylight Installers.