Adding A Skylight

“Let the sunshine in…” isn’t just part of the lyrics from the musical “Hair”– it’s good advice if you need to brighten up a dark interior bath or kitchen. Consider adding a skylight as part of your remodeling or renovation project.

Skylights are a way to let the outdoors in and flood a space with light. Some skylights can also be open for added ventilation during some of Southwest Florida’s milder nights.

Call your remodeler and ask that a designer be sent on-site to make sure the location you have in mind will work well with a skylight.

A skylight is not just a window in your ceiling and shouldn’t be treated as such. Where, for example, a window in a wall automatically catches the low angled rays of the winter sun and limits the high angled ones of a summer sun, a skylight does the opposite. Good to keep in mind when you are lighting that bedroom. Skylights in sloping rooms facing south are likely to overheat a room and north facing ones will allow a diffused light all day, but won’t give a sun splashed effect.

You also must be careful that the sun isn’t bleaching your new wood cabinetry, antiques or fabrics. Consider getting a grey tint to the glass in the skylight to help block the sun’s UV rays or get a skylight with a built-in blinds system. Comfort glazing is good, too, as it provides insulation against heat buildup during hot Florida days.

Since the cost of installing a skylight is much the same for a small one or large one, go for bigger. Letting in more light is good and, as an architectural feature, a larger skylight is more dramatic.

Don’t worry about your roof leaking, even in our monsoon rains, as long as the remodeling company is trustworthy, uses a high quality skylight and factory flashing. Glazing will reduce condensation inside the skylight and channeling will carry condensation away. Be sure your remodeling company ensures there is adequate ventilation to deal with excess moisture if you are having a skylight installed in the bath.

Avoid installing the skylight on a roof surface that faces the street. Front-facing skylights often look jarringly out of place. Align the skylight opening with a door, window or some other existing feature, so it doesn’t look haphazard. A good designer will also use certain spacing or a decorative treatment around the skylight to pull the ceiling in as a design element in the room.

Our designers at Cornerstone Builders our experienced at adding skylights to homes all over Southwest Florida and we will be glad to come discuss your renovation and remodeling project with you, free of charge. Please call us today.