Given their size, cluster skylights are most often used for commercial applications, allowing large amounts of natural light to enter the building, in addition to providing a architectural focal. A quick image search on any of the major search engines and you will probably come across countless examples of cluster skylights acting as a rather dramatic accent to a flight of stairs or perhaps even a central point in the building. They are as much about visual impact as they are about the performance related benefits that they offer. However, they don’t look quite so good if there are serious problems with condensation in the property.

Why Do Cluster Skylights Sometimes Suffer Issues With Condensation?

We’ve worked with a number of commercial property owners in Toronto over the years, many of whom became increasingly frustrated when trying to deal with condensation related issues. They just couldn’t understand why this problem was occurring or how to fix it. The reason why you will often notice condensation on cluster skylights is actually very simply; warm air that is loaded with moisture rises and will eventually hit the skylights. This doesn’t mean that there’s an issue with your cluster skylights. It’s an indicator that there’s too much moisture in the air, which is a common problem in newer buildings.

Steps that Can be Taken to Limit the Presence of Condensation

If you notice condensation on your cluster skylights, which will undoubt edly detract from their impressive appearance, you should act fast since it can lead to a range of other problems, including:

• The growth of mold and mildew on walls and ceilings.
• Deterioration in the condition of furniture.
• Bubbling and peeling of paint.
• Severe damage to wooden structural supports.

To prevent these issues and the presence of condensation on your cluster skylights, it’s imperative that you limit the amount of water vapour (which the air carries) in the building. This can be achieved by doing the following:

• Utilize dehumidifier units to remove moisture from the air.
• Periodically open your cluster skylights, allowing the warmer air that’s loaded with water vapour to escape, while cooler, dryer air is able to enter.
• Have additional vents installed close to your cluster skylights and windows in the property.
• Install ceiling fans, which will prevent warm air from rising to the point that it condenses on the skylights.

Tips to Help Maintain Cluster Skylights

Even if you take all possible action to reduce the amount of condensation in the building, it’s still important that cluster skylights are regularly maintained (will likely require professional assistance). Mold and mildew can start to grow on skylights that are exposed to condensation problems and it’s important that this is killed with a sterilized agent and then removed. The surface of the skylights should then be thoroughly cleaned down.
Aluplex Skylights has been servicing the community of Toronto for over 25 years and we consider ourselves to be an authority on anything relating to skylights. If you require any help or advice, or wish to arrange a free consultation, get in touch with us today.

Residential and commercial skylights are available in a wide range of different shapes and sizes, from flat skylights that are fixed in place to tubular skylights that are space efficient and very effective at distributing the sun’s natural light, it’s usually possible to find a model that is suited to the conditions at any property.  One of the most intriguing designs is that of pyramid skylights, which can be effortlessly integrated into the design of both new and period buildings, such is their versatility.  But how do you know whether they will be a good fit for your home?
What You Need to Know About Pyramid Skylights
The requirements and benefits associated with different types of skylights do vary and rather than rushing into a purchase, we would recommend you spend some time learning about the specific types of skylights that you’re interested in. Here’s what you need to know about pyramid skylights:

• Can Be Installed on Most Roof Types – One factor that can influence the type of skylights installation that you ultimately opt for is the pitch of your roof. This is something you can’t change, at least not without considerable cost, and certain types of skylight can only be installed on certain roof pitches. Pyramid skylights are quite versatile in this respect since they can be installed on flat roofs, although the “norm” is a roof with a pitch of 30 degrees.
• Design Versatility – As we’ve already pointed out, pyramid skylights can be installed at both modern and period style properties and do a good job of complementing other architectural features, but they tend to work best on the former. This is because the clean, angled lines that these skylights boast tend to provide a very contemporary look and feel.
• Maximise Natural Light – As pyramid skylights are multi-dimensional, unlike flat skylights, the amount of light that flows into the property through them is increased. More natural light further decreases your dependence upon artificial light . So if you’re seeking to illuminate a particularly dark area in your home, pyramid skylights could be the best option.

The Different Options Available With Pyramid Skylights
Selecting pyramid skylights for your property is just the first step. There are then many other factors to consider before you even get close to the final product that will be installed at your property. Some of these include:

• Glazing – Do you want acrylic or glass glazing? What about special films that can be applied during the manufacturing process to help control temperature and fading of interior design elements?
• Size – While larger pyramid skylights do let more light into a property, they will also increase the interior temperature and potentially make your HVAC system work harder. The size needs to be carefully calculated.
• Opening – Do you want to be able to open your skylight to allow for the circulation of fresh air? There are both manual and electric mechanisms that can be fitted to allow this functionality.

Pyramid skylights are a great option for many types of properties. To get further information on them or any other type of skylight, please get in touch with our friendly and experienced team in Toronto.

While most skylights installed by reputable contractors do have some fairly lengthy life expectancies (20+ years for acrylic skylights and 30+ years for glass skylights), they don’t last forever and will eventually need replacing. If they aren’t replaced when they should be there can be serious consequences for your property. The problem is, it’s not always obvious when skylights repair or a completely new skylights installation is needed, which is why we’re going to point out a few telltale signs during the course of this article.
Do You Need a New Skylights Installation? Here’s How to Check
Many times a property owner will only check the condition of their skylights from the interior and while they may look fine from this perspective, an inspection of the exterior may tell a rather different story. Here are the top indicators that you need new skylights installation:

• Passed Their Life Expectancy – As already mentioned, acrylic skylights are typically expected to last for close to 20 years, while a glass skylight will last 30 years or more in many cases. If this time period has passed you may want to carefully inspect its condition, particularly in the case of acrylic skylights, as over time the materials do naturally age and lose their ability to adequately insulate your home.
• Your Energy Bills Have Risen Dramatically – There are in fact numerous reasons why your energy bills could have risen significantly, but a decline in the condition of windows, doors and skylights is among the leading causes. If your doors and windows all seem to be in good condition, it could be your skylight that is allowing heat energy to escape and in turn force your heating and cooling systems to work overtime to maintain a comfortable temperature.
• There’s An Obvious Leak – If your skylight sustains some serious damage and there’s a clear passage for air and moisture to get inside your home, this is a sure fire sign that your skylight may need to be replaced. Skylights repair may be an option but a full inspection will need to be carried out to assess the level of damage in order to make an informed decision.
• Clear Cracks – Skylights, particularly those made from acrylic, are not overly impact resistant and the plastic becomes more brittle as time passes by. If you happen to suffer a hailstorm in your local area or anything happens to collide with your skylight during a period of rough weather (not uncommon in Toronto), and you happen to notice cracks on the exterior, your skylight may need replacing.
• Distortion of the Light – Again, this is an issue that is more commonly associated with acrylic skylights but can sometimes occur with glass models if they are not properly maintained. The acrylic may discolour overtime, which distorts the colour of the light itself as it filters through the skylight and into your property. In extreme cases the only way to remedy this problem is to opt for new skylights installation.

If you would like a professional to assess the condition of your skylights or you want us to inspect your property and measure up for new skylights installation, contact the Toronto based team at Aluplex!

If you’ve made the decision to opt for glass skylights over acrylic skylights, the next decision that you’re faced with (or at least one of them) is what type of glazing to use. This glazing needs to be able to withstand anything and everything that Mother Nature could throw at it, which can be considerable in the Toronto area as we’re sure you’re only too aware. It also needs to be able to withstand any impacts that could occur as a result of human actions. In terms of glass skylights, the two main glazing options that are typically used are laminated glass and tempered glass.  Which one should you choose?

Introducing the Two Main Glazing Options for Glass Skylights

We’re going to start by introducing laminated and tempered glass, briefly touching upon how they are produced, before going on to explain some of the main benefits of each.

Tempered Glass

Tempered glass is essentially a single block of glass that is heat treated to produce an end product that is much stronger and resilient than many traditional glazing options. Here are a few of the main benefits of choosing this option:

• Strength – As already mentioned, glass skylights must be able to resist the worst of the Toronto weather, including large hail stones and storms that could cause debris to collide with the skylight and tempered glass offers a much better level of impact resistance than standard options, meaning damage is much less likely to occur.
• Safety – When a standard piece of glass breaks, it splinters and large shards will often be created which are very sharp and represent a serious health and safety hazard to anyone in the property. Glass skylights that are fitted with tempered glass are much safer, however, since rather than splintering, the glass breaks down into thousands of tiny little ice cube shaped pieces that are not sharp. As well as being safer, this also makes clearing up the debris much easier.

Laminated Glass

There’s one obvious difference between tempered glass and laminated glass; laminated glass features two pieces of glass as opposed to one and between those two layers of glass sits a plastic layer, which is designed to hold the glass in place if it breaks. Here are a few of the main benefits of laminated glass skylights:

• No Falling Shards – Should the skylight become damaged and the glass be broken, it won’t fall to the ground, since the layer of plastic prevents this from happening. This negates a significant health and safety risk since skylights are often located several feet from the ground level.
• Increased Security – Windows are considered to be the most common point of entry for home intruders, but glass skylights are also weak points in a property’s outer layer. Even after laminated glass has been broken by the intruder, it will continue to offer protection to the property.
• Sound Reduction – Due to the several layers that combine to form laminated glass, it is very effective at blocking out outside noises, improving the comfort of your home environment.

Often, glass skylight contractors will install skylights that utilize tempered glass on the outer layer and laminated glass on the interior, as this offers maximum protection and minimum risk in terms of health and safety.

Should you commit to skylights installation? Or should you leave it? It can be a difficult decision to make in some cases and before committing to an installation you must absolutely believe that skylights are the right choice for your property. While they offer a considerable number of benefits, including the ability to seriously reduce your electric bill, they do represent an investment and the level of financial outlay involved does mean it’s a decision to take seriously. And let’s not forget, skylights can’t be installed at every property; the conditions need to be just right to make their implementation into your property’s design possible. Below you’ll find a few questions that most skylights manufacturers recommend you ask yourself before you start contacting companies to discuss a possible installation.

Skylights Manufacturers Advise You to Answer These Questions

Assessing the viability of something that you’re not entirely familiar with can be difficult, but we’ve put together a list of questions that most skylights manufacturers would ask when inspecting your property prior to an installation.

• Is Your Roof Trussed or Conventional? – Many people aren’t aware of the answer to this question or its relevance. If it’s the framing is conventional, it will likely be either 16 or 24 inches on centre, while trussed framing is commonly 24 inches on centre. The latter will typically allow you to integrate a 2 foot wide skylight into the roof. If you were thinking of something larger, the framing in your roof may need to be modified, which will undoubtedly increase the overall cost of the project considerably.
• Are There Any Obstructions in Your Attic? – This rather more straightforward to answer. You would be well advised to do a sweep of the attic of your property, keeping a close eye on features that are integrated into the walls and ceilings, such as wires and pipes, as these elements could restrict where the skylight could be installed. In older properties in particular there are sometimes irregularly placed features that can impede skylights installation.
• What About the Roof? Any Features? – You need to do the same thing for the roof. If it boasts features such as solar panels, fans or vents, these are all things that can limit where a new skylight can be installed. If your roof is packed full of solar panels you might have to re-think your plans to buy a skylight from one of the leading skylights manufacturers.
• Will It Complement Your Home’s Design? – The questions you should ask yourself don’t all relate to the practicalities of whether the installation is possible; you have to think about how it will affect your property from a visual perspective too. Will it blend in with the other design elements on your property’s exterior or will it stick out like a sore thumb?

These are just a few of the basic questions you should answer before having residential or commercial skylights installed in Toronto. If you would like to know what other factors there are to consider, pick up the phone and speak to a member of the Aluplex team today.