There are a lot of design features that are simply there for the appearance. Many people would assume skylight windows fall into this category, but it’s not so. Skylight windows actually have a lot of benefits that make them worth installing. It’s especially worth it if you’re considering installing skylights in offices. Here’s why they’re a good addition to any office building.

Skylights in Offices Save Money

The most obvious benefit to having skylights is that they can save you money on electricity. Because the sun is usually out during business hours, most offices can cut down their electricity use from electric lighting by over 75%. This is especially true if you have large windows on the walls as well. In combination, your office will be completely lit up throughout working hours.

Quality of Life

Skylights do more than just produce light. They also improve quality of life. Not only can it improve moods to have something nice to look at, it also exposes employees to the sun. As we know, the sun is a rich source of vitamin D. Did you know vitamin D deficiency is one of the leading causes of depression in the US and Canada? People staying indoors most of the time leads to lower vitamin D which causes depression and pain among other things.

Therefore, putting skylights into your office building and allowing the sun to shine into your employee’s workspace is sure to improve their moods and make them feel better about their environment.

Employee Productivity

An office with skylight windows is bound to have increased employee productivity. This is for a number of reasons. For one, the aforementioned lighting boost allows less strain on the eyes and an easier time getting things done. The quality of life improvement is also likely to improve productivity. Happier people have an easier time getting to work.

Not only does they improve overall productivity, skylights will also improve work quality. That better mood is sure to make employee work more inspired. People do tend to put more effort into their work when they feel it’s meaningful. That’s hard to do if you’re in a depressing work environment.

Office Resale Boost

Last, but not least, having skylights in your office provides a significant resale boost. Because of the mentioned perks of having skylights, offices with skylights are coveted pieces of real estate. If you plan on moving your business to a different location or selling sometime in the distant future, know that skylights will help.

People walk into an office with skylights and immediately get a positive feeling about the place. With so many dark, dismal office spaces, the feeling of walking into a bright, sunshine-filled space is a memorable one.

If you have any questions about skylights, how they’re installed, or how to get one, give us a call at Aluplex. We look forward to hearing from you.

Aluplex, as a glass specialist company, has decided to take on some of the most frequent concerns about skylights. In our first article, we covered temperature changes and safety. Today, we have a couple more concerns that need to be addressed. 

Will skylights ever leak?

Good quality skylights do not leak unless they’ve sustained some kind of damage. If you’re having skylights installed by a reputable company, it will take pretty significant impact – like from a tree branch falling – to damage your skylight. If your skylight is leaking, it needs to be serviced.

Aluplex offers skylight maintenance and repairs in the GTA. If you find your skylight leaking at all, give us a call and we’ll come out and see if we can find the source of the problem. From there, we’ll fix your skylight, because having a leaky, damaged skylight is both inconvenient and a safety risk.

What happens if leaves or other debris land on my skylight?

Because skylights face upward on a house, they will be rained on and have leaves fall on them. That’s just in the nature of being on the roof. Leaves may end up being washed away by further raining, but some may seem to stick. It’s unavoidable that your skylight will get some natural debris on it.

However, your skylight doesn’t have to stay dirty forever. If you or someone else in your family gets up on the roof each winter or fall to put up holiday lights or clean out gutters, this is a great time to wipe down skylights. Like any other window, skylights benefit from being cleaned once in a while. Plus, if you’re doing this cleaning near the end of fall or in the beginning of winter, all of the leaves should be finished falling. You’ll be free to wipe up any dirt or debris and your skylight should stay fairly clean until the following fall. You can even hire a professional to do this for you if you’re not comfortable or able to get up on the roof.

Do skylights have a problem with becoming moldy?

Skylights come in all shapes, sizes, and qualities. Some skylights, especially clusters of domes or pyramids, have framework between each dome. These types of skylights do have the potential to gather debris and, consequently, grow some mold. That’s why they need to be cleaned somewhat annually. Fortunately, these skylights are typically only used on large, commercial buildings.

For single-window skylights that are usually used on houses, you’re unlikely to have a problem with mold in the short-term. Potential debris will usually get washed away before it has a chance to cause any problems. Over the course of many years, however, you may see your skylight getting dingy from pollen, algae, etc. There’s no real way to prevent that from happening if you’re leaving your skylight to its own devices for a number of years. Therefore, we recommend having your skylights cleaned at least every five years. If you’re able to get on the roof, you can complete this task yourself. If you’re not comfortable or able to get on the roof, there are professionals who can clean your skylights for you. As mentioned above, an annual wipe-down of your skylights is even better and will keep them looking great no matter how long you have them.

If our articles on frequent concerns about skylights didn’t answer your question, give us a call.

While most people are in agreement that skylights look great, there are still some frequent concerns about them. Aluplex is a specialist glass company and we’re here today to address some of these concerns. Any uncertainties you have about skylights should be cleared up once you’ve read through these articles. Without further ado, here are some frequent concerns about skylights.

Will having a skylight raise or lower the temperature of my home?

Having a skylight does come with the potential for affecting the temperature of your home. However, this is something that comes with any new window. The addition of a regular window also carries that risk just because it lets in more sunlight and isn’t as insulated as a wall. 

The good news is, you can combat changes in temperature in a number of ways. 

• Getting skylights that are thermally broken will help insulate them. “Thermally broken” means that none of the parts making up your skylight are both outside and inside. Having connecting parts between the exterior and interior pieces keeps a single piece’s temperature from directly affecting your interior. Thus, it takes longer for heat or cold to get in.
• Installing insulating blinds or shades with your skylight will allow you to have a little more control over the affect it has on temperature. 
• You can insulate even better, without blocking out sun, by using insulating window films such as Window Armour. This is a clear coating that goes over windows and strengthens and insulates them. This company is also based out of Toronto.

Are skylights dangerous or at high risk of breaking?

Like any glass, skylights are not impervious to damage. Fortunately, ordering skylights from a reputable company usually means your skylights are high quality. Getting laminated glass skylights makes them pose no more risk than any other window.

To be extra cautious, you can choose not to install skylights underneath trees. Ensuring large branches won’t be able to fall against your skylight will make breaking the glass far less likely, regardless of how strong it is. In the case that your skylight does have something fall on it, have it checked by a professional. Aluplex has skylight servicing and we’ll be glad to come and look over your skylight for you. Checking for any damage after any kind of impact, even when not visibly broken, is important. That way, invisible damage won’t build up, leading to a bigger break. 

Aluplex also offers emergency skylight maintenance because we know skylight safety is so important. Even in the middle of a storm, we’re prepared to help. Keeping your home impervious to rain and keeping your skylight in one piece is our priority.

Check out our next article, part 2, to see some more concerns we’ve addressed. Give us a call if you have questions about Alplex products specifically and we’ll be more than happy to help.

If you’re in the business of designing commercial buildings, we have some good news for you. Including skylights in your design is always a good choice. That’s because, not only are skylights beautiful, attracting the attention and approval of clients, skylights in commercial buildings pay for themselves. Here’s how.

Green Lighting

One of the biggest benefits to having skylights in any building design is the opportunity for green lighting. Letting in ample amounts of sunlight during business hours means you don’t have to install as many electric lights. The lower demand for electric lighting saves money on electricity and is more green. Having a building design that has less impact on the environment is a huge deal these days. Clients are much more likely to find your design appealing if they know they’ll save money on lighting and help the environment.

Curb Appeal

If you’re building first and selling later, you don’t have to rely entirely on facts to sell your design. Curb appeal has a lot of sway with buyers. One look at a commercial building with a skylight will have buyers smitten with your design. Once they’ve had a chance to go in and look around the building that could be the future of their business, they’ll fall in love. Everyone has a weakness for skylights and you can use that to your advantage when selling.

Customer Appeal

If you’re commissioning someone to build one or more commercial buildings, there are a lot of reasons to request skylights in the design. For one thing, just as those buying a commercial building may be weak to the charm of skylights, customers are too. If you’re working out of a beautiful building, your customers will remember.

Part of what draws clients in to a business is how they feel about its status. Walking into a building that feels luxurious, open, and well-lit will leave them feeling better about your business. They’ll be happy to return and more patient with any minor flaws in service. The power of visual appeal is strong in the business world.

Worth the Investment

Because of all of these things, skylights pay for themselves. The assistance they give to lighting, the appeal they have to buyers, and the draw they have to clients makes them well worth the cost to install them. Not to mention, if you’re building your commercial buildings in Toronto, you have the convenience of ordering from Aluplex. Aluplex is a leading Toronto glass company that specializes in windows and skylights. You can get your money’s worth when ordering from us. Plus, we’ll have your skylights installed by our installation professionals. 

If you’d like to order Aluplex skylights or inquire about the process, contact us! We look forward to hearing from you. If you’re still not sure about whether our skylights are right for you, consider our quality windows and glass doors. No matter what kind of glass you’re after, Aluplex is a designer’s best friend.