Skylights in the heat

As the days get warmer, many people consider the pros and cons of having skylights within
their homes. On the one hand, skylights and roof windows offer increased ventilation and sunlight
into the house, allowing reduced cost in lighting and keeping the room feeling cool. On the other
hand, a common fear is that it can make your home too hot by magnifying the light from the sun.
Find out ways to reduce this potential heat below.

Will a skylight heat up my house?

The short answer is yes, possibly. Having a skylight fitted on your roof can cause the house to
heat up as direct sunlight is beamed into the room below. People most commonly install skylights
to reduce the costs needed for light, meaning it can be counterproductive if you need to use air
conditioning due to the greenhouse effect in your home.

At Sunsquare, we have a range of accessories designed to be seamlessly integrated into your
skylight, easily accessible for when you want to use them and invisible for when you don’t.

How to keep your home cool when you have skylights

• Protective coating and glazing
  Investing in a UV coating for your skylight will ensure only light can come through your window,
  eliminating the risk of sunburn or heatstroke while sitting under a skylight on a summer’s day.
  Protective coatings are also perfect for ambience as the light diffuses through the glass, allowing
  the space to get a soft touch of light instead of harsh light beams.
• Insulation
  Insulating your skylight is not only required for energy efficiency regulations. Still, it is an excellent
  way of saving money and ensuring that your home is as environmentally and energy efficient as
  possible. Insulation keeps the heat in during the winter and protects your cool home from the sun
  during the summer months.
• Positioning
  Placing your skylight on an angle less likely to have direct sunlight can significantly reduce the
  room’s heat. We suggest considering what way your roof is facing and whether the sun will directly
  shine onto that roof. For example, a south-facing roof will have the maximum sunlight, meaning
  you will get the most heat in the winter and summer.
• Skylight covers and shades
  A cost-effective way to stop your skylight from overheating is to get covers or blinds which can
  either be manually or automatically drawn to shade the room from the sun.
  You can choose from high-end automatic options to canvas covers that can be placed on top of the
  skylight to control the home climate for less. These can be tricky to install and inconvenient when
  putting on and removing due to the lack of access, but if you are willing to, covers are a great
  option. Blinds, however, are a more permanent feature and can be opened and closed from within the house. Manual blinds are opened and closed using a large pole to drag the cover across. Automatic blinds will require a more advanced installation but will be the most convenient option if you are willing to invest.

Weighing up the pros and cons

While a skylight may cost you a bit more in insulation to keep your house warm, adding a skylight
can also be a cost-effective way of lighting your home both in the winter and summer. We
recommend choosing a high-quality skylight installed properly to ensure it is appropriately insulated
to reduce heat loss and comply with energy efficiency regulations. Positioning your skylight in a
place that receives not too much and not too little sunlight may be a job for an architect, but once
you find the perfect location, a skylight can be the ideal addition to your home. Covering your
skylight in extreme heat, whether with a plastic cover or installed blinds, is our recommendation for
a cost-effective solution to the rising heat.