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Skylights alternated with recessed lights keep rooms well-lit, day or night. Skylights allow light to pour in to this dramatic kitchen. Bathroom skylights create a sense of overall spaciousness.
A View From The Top Feel the golden rays of sunlight from above by adding a skylight to any room. Skylights let in 30 percent more light than vertical windows of the same size.

Adding a skylight is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make a room lighter and brighter and feel bigger. Natural light transforms even a small, dark room into splendid airy space. shop

WANT TO
SEE THE
LIGHT?
You can add a skylight to nearly any room of your home. Contact a contractor or window specialist in your area for a quote.

SKYLIGHT OPTIONS There are two basic types of skylights: flat-glass and domed. Both types can be purchased as fixed or vented. You even can add an electric motor and a rain sensor to automatically close the skylight in a downpour.

Domed skylights are acrylic and shatterproof, and most are double- or triple-glazed for energy efficiency. Available in clear, smoked, bronze or tinted options, they fit any home design. Their bubble shape allows the rain to rinse away dirt, so the sun always can shine in. Standard sizes are: 2 x 2, 2 x 4 and 4 x 4 feet.

Flat-glass skylights have more options than their domed acrylic counterparts. For starters, you can get flat-glass skylights in tempered, laminated or wire glass; or try glass tints for heat retention or solar blockage. You also can install skylights with built-in shades or blinds that enable you to control the amount of light in the room.

LIGHT SHAFTS An illuminating alternative to flat installed skylights are light shafts. If your ceiling has attic space above it, a light shaft is the way to open up a room to more light from above. The obvious benefit, of course, is light. There are three types of light shafts that allow you to choose how much sunshine you get:

  • Least Light A straight shaft has the same dimensions as a skylight and drops vertically from the roof to the ceiling.

  • More Light Angled shafts can be installed parallel to the pitch of the skylight and are the same dimension as the skylight.

  • Most Light Pyramid shafts have a longer and/or wider opening than the skylight opening and allow light to flood into a room.

    • THE SKY'S THE LIMIT

    • Placement Consider the position of your skylight in relation to the sun, to the seasons and to trees and other overhead obstructions.

    • Waterproofing Professional installation ensures that your skylight stays watertight.

    • Heat minimization Lessen the sun's effects by installing blinds or other adjustable window coverings.

    • Energy efficiency Skylights are rated for their thermal efficiency by the National Fenestration Rating Council; go to www.nfrc.org.





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