Skylight Trends and News | Aluplex Skylights

The Benefits of Letting in the Outside Air

January 28, 2019 By adminAPX

Remember as a child you were encouraged to go outside to play so that you could get some fresh air? That is because fresh air has many benefits for us. Except during high allergy seasons (spring with pollen and fall with harvest are excellent examples), you should try and bring the outside air into your home if you can’t make it outside.

One way of doing that is by installing a skylight that opens up, or a roof window. Not only do these let the sunshine into your house, but they also give you the option of opening them to let in the fresh air.

If you’re on the fence about an opening skylight, take a look at how letting in the outside air will benefit you and your family.

Clean Out Your Lungs

Even with excellent ventilation in a building, the air can get stale and full of particles. By opening a window and letting the fresh air circulate through your home, it helps clean out your airways. When you breathe in the fresh air, it dilates your lungs more fully while cleaning them out.

Be cautious about the time of year, however. If someone has allergies and breathes in the outside air that has pollen from plants, it could flare up their allergies.

Increased Energy

When you can breathe in more clean air, it gives your body a boost of energy. That is because fuller lungs allow you to breathe in more oxygen which goes into your body’s cells. More oxygen means more energy.

Increase Immune System

Continuing with the blood cells, more oxygen helps out or white blood cells. Those cells are our defences against germs and bacteria. So, the more oxygen you breathe in, the stronger your white blood cells are which means, the better prepared you are to fight off illnesses.

Boost Your Mood

Did you know that fresh air can help boost your mood, especially if you suffer from depression or anxiety? When you breathe in more oxygen, it increases the levels of serotonin in the body. Serotonin is the happy hormone our body makes to keep us happier in life.

Freshen Up Your Home

It’s hard to beat the smell of the outdoors, especially on a clear, crisp day. If you notice that your home needs a boost of freshness, one of the easiest and quickest ways to do that is by opening up a window. The smell of the outdoors can instantly make a home feel more clean and welcoming without doing anything.

These are only a few of the benefits of why you should let fresh air into your home. Installing a skylight that opens is one way of doing that. You get the benefits of the sunshine and Vitamin D, and you have the option to open the window to take in all the benefits of the outdoor air.

Have a Skylight? Here Are 3 Tips to Keep it Secure

January 28, 2019 By adminAPX

Skylights are a popular and unique way to let in more daylight to not just small and enclosed areas of the home, but the whole house in general. The windows in the roof do not take up any precious wall space, and there typically isn’t anything obstructing their view. Skylights are an excellent addition to any home.

The one concern many homeowners have is how they can keep their skylight secure from leaks and unwanted entries into the home.

Luckily though, with a bit of knowledge and ensuring the right procedures are followed, you can have an elegant skylight that brightens up the home, all while being safe for the whole family.

What Kind of Materials Used?

The materials used in a skylight play a big role in how secure it is. Weakened glass will only be a quick entrance for anyone who wants to gain access into your house. Not only that, because they are easily breakable if you live in an area with high winds, large amounts of snowfall and hail, or where debris could fall on the skylight, it is also susceptible to getting damaged and broken.

A skylight should have a combination of tempered (toughened) glass and laminated glass. When you heat tradition glass about 600 degrees Celsius and then rapidly cool it, it creates tempered glass. It’s an excellent choice for the outer pane as if it was to break; it shatters into tiny pieces. There is less risk of any jagged shards falling into your home.

The downfall to toughened glass is that not only is it safer for your home, it is likely safer for intruders to break, causing it to be a risk for burglaries. However, by pairing it with laminated glass for the inner pane, you greatly reduce the risk of any chance a burglar could enter. That is because the glass supports itself and cracks rather than shatters.

Reseal It

Over time, the original seal used when installing the skylight can deteriorate, especially when it’s in contact with the outside elements. Once that seal breaks or weakens, it allows for water to seep through the seams. Resealing it is a good habit to get into to ensure that your skylight stays leak-proof.

Install a Skylight Screen

If you’re going to have people on the roof of your home or work in a commercial area where there is lots of action on the roof, a skylight screen may not be a bad idea. These are easily installed over the skylight and are typically made of steel. These screens protect workers from stepping on the skylight and potentially breaking it and falling through.

The downfall to a skylight screen is the appearance. Many do not like the look of having a flat or dome-shaped metal apparatus over the skylight. You’ll likely have shadows from the screen reflecting into your home. However, given the amount of safety it provides, that tends to outweigh the appearance.

Skylight, Roof Light, Roof Window – What’s the Difference?

November 26, 2018 By adminAPX

If you Googled the term skylight, you’ll like come across roof light and roof window as well. Are they all the same thing? Not necessarily. Although similar, there are some differences worth noting between the terms.

Let’s take a look at what a skylight, roof light and roof window are and how they differ from each other. Once you know what they mean, you can then decide which is best suited for your home.

Skylight and Roof Light

First, let’s start with the skylight. A skylight is a window that is installed into the roof of your home. It can be any shape and size, as long as it set into the ceiling (or roof) at the same angle.

The purpose behind the skylight is to allow more natural light into the home. Skylights work best in small rooms, bathrooms, closets, or any other room that requires more light. They also add a unique element to the design of the room by adding a feature to the ceiling.

A roof light, on the other hand, is almost the same thing as a skylight. A roof light is an opening in the roof of your home that is covered by a translucent or transparent material. It serves the same purpose as a skylight – to allow more natural light into the area.

Is there a difference between the two? Not overly, besides the name of them. They both are meant for the same thing and can be made out of the same materials. Basically, you can use skylight and roof light interchangeably and still be talking about the same thing.

Roof Window

What you shouldn’t do, though, is say that a skylight and roof light is the same as a roof window. A roof window has special standards that they must adhere to, like being installed in the same orientation with the surrounding roof. They also need to be weatherproofed through a skirt or flashing.

Unlike skylights and roof lights that can come in different shapes and sizes, roof windows come in standardized shapes and sizes. They also tend to be smaller than skylights and roof lights.

For a roof window to be sold, it must have undergone tests to see how the window withstands to the outdoor elements. It should say how it holds up under heavy rainfall, increased air pressure, and if it can stop against leaks and a draft coming into the home.

Which is Better?

Now that we know that skylights and roof lights are relatively the same, but it is roof windows that differ, which one is better? That answer comes down to what you want the window for and what your house is like.

For pitched roof houses, a roof window works best. If you have a flat roof though, a skylight or window light may be the better option.

Let us help you decide which is the better option for your home, and to ensure you get the best product for you and your family.

6 Simple Ways to Bring in More Natural Light

November 26, 2018 By adminAPX

How much natural light do you have in your home? If your answer is not a lot, you may want to change that.

There are tons of benefits to having natural light instead of artificial. For one, natural light is an excellent source of Vitamin D which will help boost your moods. Natural light will help to keep you more alert and feeling positive. On top of that, you’ll save money on your power bill. Instead of turning on every light, utilize natural light and save a few bucks each month.

How do you let in as much natural light as possible? There are a few easy ways to do so that you can do yourself.

Keep the Blinds Open

Although it’s nice to have the blinds closed for privacy, you’ll block out all the natural light by doing so. Depending on the room, try to keep the blinds open as much as possible. The natural light will brighten up the space, as well as keep the room warm during the cold months.

If you need blinds for privacy, avoid going with heavy fabrics. Go for linen or cotton to keep them light. That way, some natural light can still peak through and not be completely blocked out.

Use Mirrors

If you have a small room and not many windows, an easy trick to get more natural light it to hang mirrors around. Install a mirror opposite a window. One the light shines in, it will reflect off the mirror and disperse throughout the rest of the room. Basically, the more mirrors you have, the more natural light you’ll be able to reflect around the house.

Rearrange the Room

Your furniture can be a culprit of blocking natural light. Unless it’s translucent and plastic, the light won’t be able to go through the furniture. So, rearrange the room as to not block windows too much or glass doors.

Paint With Light Colours

A light colour on the wall will not only help make the room feel bigger, but it will also reflect the natural light more than a dark coloured wall. Try painting the walls with colours like cream, light blues and greys to give the natural light a boost in the house.

Keep Things Clean

If your windows and doors have lots of dirt and smudges on them, those will block the natural light from shining in. Not only that, but the light will actually make them look more obvious.

Have a cleaning routine in which you wipe down all of the windows and glass doors in the house. Keeping them clean will help to let the light shine in without anything blocking it.

Install a Skylight

Although this is something you’ll want to leave to the professionals, a skylight can make a huge difference for letting in natural light. Skylights work great for smaller rooms, closets, bathrooms, or other places that don’t have much space for windows. Skylights also allow light to shine in from a different angle, which increases the amount of natural light you’ll be able to enjoy.

Let Aluplex help you install a skylight into your home today to take advantage of all the natural light around.

Should You Install a Skylight Yourself?

October 23, 2018 By adminAPX

If you’re thinking of installing a skylight, you may also be thinking about attempting it yourself. There are many parts of the home that can be excellent DIY projects for you and the whole family. However, a skylight really shouldn’t be one of those projects.

When installing a skylight, there are many things you need to consider first. Some points may not even come to mind until it is too late. Once you begin the installation process, you usually cannot go back.

You’re best to leave installing a skylight to the professionals. Here are a few reasons why.

Finding the Right Skylight

The first step of finding the best skylight for your home can already be difficult. There are many different types of skylights available, and many of those have various features. When it comes to a skylight, it is not a whole-size-fits-all. There are some that may be suitable for your roof, and some that could do a lot of damage.

When picking a skylight, you must consider factors like the weather, ventilation, the shape, size, and if your roof can handle a skylight. Determining the right size can be quite challenging.

Proper Placement

When installing a skylight, you do not just plop them into the roof wherever you want. You must carefully plan out the placement before installing. Placing a skylight can not only damage your roof, but it could let in more light (and heat) than you hoped for.

You need to include things like the rafters, chimney,s vents, attachments, and anything else that could obstruct the skylight. The age of your roof is also something to consider too. If you installed a skylight in an area that is ageing, the roof may not be strong enough to handle the installation.

Installation Can Cause Damage

Improper installation can weaken and damage your roof. If the roof of your home is weak, you are putting your family at serious risk. Even the smallest error in the installation process could do thousands of dollars in damage.

You need to remove a portion of the shingles to start the installation process. If you do not remove the shingles correctly, that right there can cause unwanted damage. You’ll end up spending more money having to replace the shingles.

Having a tight seal around the skylight is crucial. If there is a gap along the seams or anywhere around the skylight, there are many things that could go wrong. For one, if it starts to rain, you are bound to have water leaking into your home. You will also have a draft in your home, which will either cost more money to heat your house in the winter or cool it in the summer.

When it comes to installing a skylight, you are better off hiring a professional to do the job. There are many aspects to the installation, and missing one step could cause serious damage to not just the skylight, but to your home as well.

Avoid having to spend more money because something went wrong. Call us today for all of your skylight questions.

How to Liven Up a Small Room

October 23, 2018 By adminAPX

Do you have a small room in your home and wonder what you can do to liven it up a bit? Small rooms shouldn’t be neglected. In fact, many great design schemes that work perfectly for small rooms, and help make them feel a bit bigger.

When it comes to a small room, you do have to get creative with your design plan. However, that is also the fun part about it. That little room could be your new favourite quiet space, or maybe an epic theatre room.

If you walk into your small room and feel bored and confined, it’s time to liven it up. Try out some of the following tips to help make that room the favourite spot in the whole house.

Install a Skylight

Small rooms need something to help make them feel bigger. Windows are one of the best ways to achieve this. However, not every room is fit for a window. That is when a skylight comes in handy.

There are many different types of skylights that you can install into the roof of the room. They help bring in natural light, which is essential for brightening up a small room. Plus, by having a skylight in the ceiling, it gives the illusion that the roof is higher than what it actually is.

Utilize Colours

Typically, many people think you should only have white walls in a small room to help it feel bigger. However, too much white isn’t’ always appealing to everyone. When properly planned, you can bring in some colours that will go beautifully with a small room.

Some colours, like loud and bright colours, actually can work better in a smaller space. Having a bright purple or fluorescent orange all over a large room can be overwhelming. But if you paint one of the walls in the small room with these colours, you’ll get that much-needed pop of colour without going crazy.

Use Mirrors

Mirrors can also help give the illusion that a room is bigger than what it is. Having a wall of mirrors will visually double the space. They will also reflect the light from the windows, which will help keep the small room nicely lit to make it feel bigger.

Declutter the Room

One of the quickest ways for a room to feel small is by having too much clutter. When you have clothes, and personal belongs laying around everywhere, it starts to take up a lot of space. So, keeping the room tidy and putting everything away will keep the small room more open.

Creatively Rearrange the Room

How you lay out the room can also make a small space feel bigger. Keeping things tucked into the corners of the room or against the wall will open up more floor space in the centre. If it’s a small bedroom, lose one side of the bed and keep it pushed against the wall.

When planning out everything, thinking vertically will give you more options rather than spreading everything out. Basically, the more open space you can keep in the centre of the room, the more it will make the small room feel bigger.