the diffused and reflected light of the sky. : an opening in
a house roof or ship's deck that is covered with translucent or transparent
material and that is designed to admit light.
What are skylights used for?
What are skylights and
roof windows? Skylights and roof windows are glazed openings on a pitched or
flat roof designed to provide more
light to the home. As well as allowing natural light into your home,
they can also allow fresh air to enter if they are openable or vented.
There are three main types of skylights, ventilating
(sometimes called "roof windows"), fixed and tubular. They come in a
range of different shapes, including flat, arched, domed and pyramid.
Tubular Skylights
Recent developments in skylight pros design use sun-tracking,
open-sided cylinders; large lens-like elements; or mirrored reflectors mounted
adjacent to a conventional skylight to provide daylighting without daytime heat
gain or nighttime heat loss.
Such a skylight may connect to a mirrored pipe or
"light pipe" with a diffusing lens that mounts on or is recessed into
the ceiling of the room below. Most tubular skylights have this feature.
Tubular skylight designs do
not, however, provide views or ventilation.
Ventilation
Skylights can provide ventilation as well as light.
Ventilating a building with an operable skylight releases the hot air that
naturally accumulates near the ceiling. Ventilating skylights usually open
outward at the bottom, and some units vent through a small, hinged panel.
Skylights may be opened manually with a pole, chain, or crank.
Roof Windows
Larger skylights that can be used as emergency exits are
sometimes called "roof windows" and are located within a few feet of
the floor.
Automated Skylights
Automated units with electric motors or pneumatic devices
are also available. Some models incorporate moisture sensors to automatically
close the skylight when it rains.
Skylight Design Considerations
Before selecting a skylight for your home, determine what
type of skylight will work best and where to place it to optimize its
contribution to your home’s daylighting and
Shapes
We offer a wide range of
skylights
options for residential homes. People are choosing to transform their living
spaces. They know the benefits of natural light and fresh air and are turning
to skylight technology to create healthier homes that are as stunning as they
are environmentally conscientious.
Skylights are available in a variety of shapes and sizes.
The most common shapes include rectangular, circular, oval, diamond,
triangular, multi-sided, and tubular.
Non-rectangular units usually use plastic glazing, but
higher quality ones use glass. The glazing can be flat, arched, domed,
pyramidal, or "warped plane"—flat on the low side and concave in
section on the high side. Of these, the pyramidal, arched, and domed shapes
offer flexibility for positioning, because their raised design allows light to
enter from more extreme angles than flat or warped plane units.
The slope or curvature of the glazing also helps to shed
moisture and leaves. These skylight designs also do not require the additional
framing needed to slope a flat skylight for proper drainage on flat or
low-slope roofs.
Tubular skylights are smaller than most other skylights.
They consist of roof-mounted light or solar collectors, which increase their
daylighting potential without the need to increase their size. Because the
rooftop solar collector has a small surface area, tubular skylights minimize heat
loss in the winter and heat gain in summer. Their small size also minimizes
their impact on a home's architecture.
