Pros & Cons of Skylights

Skylights can be a wonderful addition to any home. Many homeowners choose to install them for the light that they allow into homes, but what other benefits and drawbacks do they provide? Learn more about the pros and cons of installing a skylight by reading below:

Pros

Natural Light

The most obvious benefit that skylights offer is allowing natural light into your home.  If you have a house that is surrounded by trees or other buildings, which prevent light from easily entering the windows on the side of your home during peak daylight hours, consider installing a skylight to capture the light that you’ve been missing out on!

Increasing Space

While a skylight does not provide you with more livable space, it does provide the optical illusion of a much larger space.  Between all the natural light that installing a skylight allows into your home, combined with the large opening to your roof that is created to allow the light in, installing a skylight can help make a cramped space like the kitchen feel much larger when installed.  Even if you don’t actually have more space, a skylight will make it feel like you do!

Solar Heat & Ventilation

During the cooler months, a skylight can help reduce your home’s energy bill by allowing in tons of solar heat, which can help warm your home.  If your skylight was poorly installed, you are likely to see some energy loss, but a properly installed skylight in the right conditions holds the potential to reduce your energy bills.

As for ventilation, heat rises which means on those stuffy summer days when you need some relief from the heat, opening up your skylight can allow all of that hot, stale air up through your skylight and out of your home, making it far more comfortable

Cons

Moisture Leaks

If your skylight was poorly installed, it is very likely that you will experience a moisture leak.  Due to their position at the top of your roof, they are very susceptible to moisture damage if a poorly installed skylight finds its way into a rainy or snowy climate. However, if your skylight is properly installed, it is quite likely that you will never experience any moisture leaks.

Fading

Skylights allow in tons of UV light which is great if you are trying to brighten up your home, but they can cause lots of fading on your carpet, couches, and other fabrics.  However, it is possible to decrease the fading that your possessions experience by installing special glass with UV reducing glass.

Contact Us Today

Interested in installing a skylight in your home? Reach out to our team today at (781) 246-5622 or by filling out our online contact form! We look forward to assisting you with your skylight installation needs!