Skylight Trends and News | Aluplex Skylights

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.

Your Skylight Guide – Things to Consider Before You Buy

September 20, 2018 By adminAPX

Are you looking for new ways to bring natural light into your home? A skylight might be what you need. Installing a skylight helps to brighten up a space, especially small rooms, and can completely change the feel of the area. In the evening, a skylight can take a dull, dark place, and give you a breathtaking view of the night sky above.

Skylights can be useful in other ways besides brightness and changing the atmosphere. They can also help reduce utility costs in your home. In the winter months, the skylight lets the natural sunlight in which will help keep the room warm. Also, because of how much light they bring in, you could have enough natural light that you wouldn’t need to turn on artificial lighting.

If this all sounds good, it may be time to think about a skylight. However, before you buy, here is a guide to help you make the best decision for you.

Types of Skylights

When it comes to skylights, there is no one-type-fits-all deal. There are multiple types, including various sizes and styles. Knowing what type of skylight is best for each room could help make the installation process run smoother and save you money from having to replace it.

There are three main types of skylights commonly installed:

Fixed – these do not open up or provide ventilation. They are installed in hard to reach places to provide additional lighting and dramatic views of above.
Tubular – these skylights work great in tight and enclosed spaces.
Vented (Roof Window) – as the name suggested, this is a skylight that opens like a window. Typically, a vented skylight is best suited for rooms that require extra ventilation, like a bathroom or kitchen, to remove excess moisture.

Type of Material

You also want to consider what the skylight is made out of. Skylights are glazed with a variation of plastic and glass material, either done in a single, double, or triple glazing. The most economical material is plastic. A plastic skylight is quite sturdy. However, the plastic can turn yellow over time unless there is a special preventative coating applied. Plastic skylights also let in more UV rays than others.

There is the option of a glass skylight. Going with this option will be more expensive than plastic, but a glass skylight does provide a more elegant look. A glass skylight is usually scratch resistant and is quite durable and long-lasting. However, if you live in an area that is susceptible to large snowfalls or hurricanes, you’ll want a special glass used.

There is also the option of adding a solar-heat control glaze to the skylight. It helps make it more energy efficient.

Know the Ratings

A skylight will have a rating for heat loss, UV blockage, solar heat gain, the percentage of light transmitted. Pay attention to the following numbers on a skylight:

U-Value: this measures the heat flow through the skylight. If the skylight has a low U-value, it is better at resisting heat
R-Value: this measures the insulation value of the skylight. The higher the R-value that means the skylight is insulated better.
Shading Coefficient: this means the solar heat gain. A low shading coefficient will mean there is a lower solar heat gain through the glass.
UV Blockage: this is the value in which the glazing blocks UV rays from the sun.
Visible Light Transmittance (VLT): this measurement shows how much light is let in. A high VLT means plenty of natural light.

Are Skylights Worth the Investment?

September 20, 2018 By adminAPX

Chances are you’ve lived in a place, or went on a vacation to a cabin that had a skylight. Those windows built into the roof of the home that let in sunlight during the day and reveals the starry sky at night. Skylights are beautiful when installed correctly.

Installing a skylight is a bit of an investment. They may be pricey at the start, but there are many benefits afterwards. Many will ask if it is worth the investment of installing a skylight – we’re here to help answer that question.

The Upside of a Skylight

First, let’s look at why skylights are worth the investment. To help you make an informed decision, you want to see the whole picture. Consider the following points:

Allow In Natural Light

One of the main perks of a skylight is the amount of natural light they bring in. The window looks towards the sky, usually with nothing blocking its path. All you get is beautiful, natural light.

Skylights work great for lighting up small spaces. For example, a bedroom closet, bathroom, or any room that doesn’t have window access would benefit from a skylight. A skylight in the bathroom allows you to brighten up the space while still giving you privacy.

Ventilation

Not all skylights open up. However, if you install one that does, it will provide you with ventilation into the room. Allowing in fresh air can help cool off a hot room in the summer. Alternatively, adding in a skylight that opens to the bathroom allows for the humidity and condensation to escape.

Pleasing to the Eye

Even if you install a basic skylight that doesn’t open up, they are still beautiful to have. A skylight is aesthetically pleasing and can really change the atmosphere of a room. Give the feeling of the space being larger than what it is by opening up the roof a bit with a skylight.

Turn Off the AC/Heater

A strategically placed skylight can benefit you by not having to use the central air or heat. In the summer months, open up a skylight to allow the cool air from outside to flow in. In the winter months, a skylight will let solar heat into the room, warming it up without flicking a switch.

The Downside of a Skylight

There are a few downsides to installing a skylight. Once you know everything, you can then decide if a skylight is suitable for your home.

Pricey

As mentioned, skylights are an investment – they can be pricey to install. They do require maintenance to ensure they are sealed off properly. However, it is up to you to see if the initial cost is something you can afford.

Leak Potential

Just as a regular window can leak, so too can a skylight. If a skylight is not installed properly, there is the chance that rainwater could leak through the seams and into your home. Water can damage the interior of the house, leading to a mess and having to spend more money.

In the end, going with a trusted company to install your skylight will help prevent any damage to the house and water leaking through, which will save you money in the long run. Installing a skylight does have many perks that can take your home to the next level.