Installing Skylights

Skylights are practical for areas without a natural light source and rooms with small windows. Drawing light directly from above, they make a space brighter than traditional windows of the same size, regardless of the aspect of the house. Many can be installed DIY as they don’t require structural changes.

Energry-Rated Glass
Skylights require special glazing to manage heat transfer from the roof, with glass double glazed or treated for UV rays. The window energy rating scheme (WERS) awards up to five stars for energy-efficient skylights.

Types of Skylights
Traditional ceiling skylights afford maximum light spread. Window skylights suit roofs with pitches between 15º and 75º, and can be fixed or open. A fixed skylight suits a space already with ventilation, while open skylights can be opened or have a rotatable pane. Tubular ones can be installed using a shaft between the roof and ceiling. A dome structure on the roof tunnels light through the tubing that fits between rafters, so no structural modifications are required.

Extra Shade and Air
You can get retractable blinds on fixed skylights, and tubular skylights have options for diffusers for total or partial blockout or concentrating daylight for task lighting. Adding ventilation components circulates air, making skylights an alternative to airconditioning, and making them a sustainable choice.

1. Living Room Lighting
Two fixed skylights flank a manually openable skylight, with retractable blinds to combat morning glare.

2. In the Kitchen
Window skylights allow for effective rainwater drainage, making them ideal for pitched roofs.

3. Bright Bedrooms
Consider blinds to block unwanted glare in the middle of the day.

4. For Dark Hallways
Many Federation-style homes utilise tubular skylights to brighten long hallways with high ceilings.

How to install Skylights