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Feb 05

What to Consider Before Installing a Skylight

There is nothing better than the introduction of natural light in an area of your home. Warm, radiant, an almost nurturing element at feeling a space bathed in rays of the sun. It’s no wonder skylights are so desired by homeowners. Before you go about installing one, however, we have a few important points for you to consider, ensuring you get the best out of your project.

DIY vs. Hiring a Professional

Plenty of us consider our talents with tools to be adequate for any home development project. Hubris can be our downfall, however, if we don’t stop to ask ourselves whether we really have the right skills and equipment to go about installing a skylight. Undertaking the work might very well save money in the labour costs of a professional, but it also brings with it added risk that the investment might turn sour.

Appropriate Sizing

One size does not fit all. Before you begin, it’s important that you consider the scale of the room that the skylight will be illuminating, the reflective surfaces present in that space, and the selection of materials that will be utilised in the shaft. Our commercially driven lives have led us to believe that ‘bigger is always better’. That is not the case when it comes to skylights. With the sun’s rays comes heat, and technology has been created to curtail the amount of heat that enters your space through a skylight. If you go too big (or too small, for that matter), you will have an uneven balance of available light versus heating/cooling costs. By selecting an energy efficient skylight that is the right size for your home, you will be saving countless amounts on your subsequent energy bills.

Light Control

Think ahead. At your current stage in life, a skylight in your home might feel like the perfect inclusion, but in years down the road, say when you have a new born child, it might not be so ideal when you are trying to put them to sleep. Be mindful of ways you could potentially reduce the light level created by your skylight, such as blinds or dimmer shades.

Weatherproofing

Lastly, is your skylight going to be adequately weatherproofed? The process essentially cuts a whole in your roof, leaving it exposed to the elements. Be sure to have a skylight with a weatherproof fitting or flashing that is properly sealed upon installation, to avoid any condensation or water leaks.

Call the Professional

If you would like to enlist a professional roofing expert to handle the installation of a skylight in your Sydney home, contact Hookys Roofing today by calling 02 9948 9552.

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