Skylights are mainly used to bring more natural light to places where more light is required in a residence or business building, and can be installed in the roof of almost any building. Skylights can also be used to bring heat into a room through the roof, or to ventilate rooms by allowing the roof skylight to open and close. They opening mechanism can be automated to allow it to be opened via remote control. Skylights can provide enough light during the day to prevent having to use electrical lights, and therefore saving costs on energy. Obviously the advantages are slightly less noticeable during days which are overcast.
There are three main types of roof skylights and these are made of a wide range of materials and styles, and all of these have their own range of locations to which they are suited. There are three key types, which are fixed, ventilation and tubular skylights. These can all be designed with various finishes, tints, materials and insulation types.
1. Ventilation:
these allow much needed natural light while also bringing the additional functionality of air flow through the roof, which can produce an updraft when open. This kind of ventilation is great for use in a kitchen or bathrooms where moist air needs to be ventilated.
2. Fixed:
this type of roof skylight is the most basic type of flat pane of glass which is installed in the roof and is used only to provide natural light to a room through the roof. These are good for use in attic rooms or loft conversions.
3. Tubular: These are designed with small spaces in mind and are a relatively new type of roof skylight. They concentrate the illumination from the roof into the room, and can guide light into particular places in the space. They are handy for use in spaces where lights cannot be installed.
Roof skylights are good to look at and are a very good way of introducing light through a roof, but they do have certain drawbacks. They tend to lose a lot of heat through the roof as they are not very well insulated, and can cause rooms to become even hotter during warm seasons. If they are not adequately screened or shaded, they may provide too much light and can cause glare.