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.
