This is a question that many homeowners ask. Rooms with skylights are often significantly warmer in summer than those without them. The short answer is yes, they do. This is because the direct sunlight that enters through a skylight includes infrared radiation which carries heat. In the past, this was a problem that had to be accepted. If a room does not have adequate natural light coming in from windows, then the options were to either use electric lighting during the day or, if viable, put in a skylight and accept the downsides.
The Problems
Keeping electric lights on all day has several disadvantages:
• Utility bills go up.
• A room that is mainly illuminated by artificial lights at all hours will start to look drab and dreary.
• Staying in a room without adequate natural sunlight during the day is bad for both physical and mental well-being. This has been proved by research and studies by leading organizations across the world.
The sunlight that enters from the skylight is a problem because:
• It makes the room uncomfortably warm, leading to the excessive use of air conditioning. This pushes up utility bills and increases the carbon footprint.
• The room can at times become too bright for comfort.
• The UV rays in the sunlight can cause the colors of fabrics and furnishings to fade and become dull.
In other words, skylights are good, but the problems they cause detract from their value and usefulness. It was something that homeowners had to live with. At least, that was the case until recently. There are now 2 ways to deal with these problems and get all the benefits of skylights without the negatives.
New Skylight Technology
The first option is to install a Daylighting System or Tubular Daylighting Device(TDD). These TDDs use roof-mounted daylight collectors to capture sunlight during the daylight hours and transport it, using special high-tech tubing, through ceilings and floors to even the most interior parts of the home. The light, without the excessive heat, is then diffused through a room with the use of elegant ceiling-mounted fittings. Dimmers can be installed to control the amount of sunlight entering the room and keep it comfortable. Ventilation kits can be attached to allow for increased indoor ventilation. And the federal tax credit for installing a TD makes it a very cost-effective option.
The world leader in TTD technology is Solatube.
Replace The Old Skylight
If a skylight is already in place, then replacing it with a new, more efficient one could be the right solution. Besides increasing the interior heat load, over time skylights can become scratched and scuffed, reducing the amount of light that enters. Leaks can also develop over time which could result in costly water damage. Replacing the worn skylight with a similar one will provide only a temporary solution and will not address the problem of the heat increase. However, technology has given the traditional skylight a new lease on life. Today skylights are made from high-tech materials that offer the following benefits:
• The special glass eliminates the problems of scratching and scuffing so the glass is always clear.
• New installation techniques used in skylight replacement mean that there will not be any leakage problems in the future.
• The special glass blocks the UV rays to protect colors from fading.
• Energy Star rated heat reduction means that the temperature increase indoors is minimal so the use of air conditioning does not increase.
• A SoftLight Glass enables glare reduction and the effective and even diffusion of light.
Modern replacement skylights are available in 2 models – the traditional fixed ones and the solar-powered fresh breeze models that use solar power to open and close so that when desired they can be opened to allow fresh air to enter the room.
Talk To Experts
Today you can install TDDs or replace existing skylights to give your house all the benefits of clear sunlight in the home without the downside of excessive heating or the other problems that were there with the old skylight technologies. The one thing to keep in mind is that there should never be any compromise on quality. Fortunately, TDDs and replacement skylights from Solatube are not just the best, they are also very competitively priced. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you have a Solatube Premier dealer on your doorstep. Contact Sunlight Concepts for a free consultation where we will study your needs, find the right TDD or replacement skylight model for your home and answer all your questions. Once you decide to go ahead, our installation professionals will do a quick clean and uncompromised installation. All you then have to do is enjoy your beautiful naturally illuminated home without worrying about excessive heat increases or other problems.
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