What to look for in a
rooflight supplier

Choose an expert

Any reputable supplier of rooflights will be a specialist in their field.

Ask questions before purchasing

What type of glass do they use? What about the warranty?

You should be looking for external panes made with toughened glass, argon-filled cavity and internal panes using laminated panes. Outstanding thermal efficiency can be achieved by using polyamide insulating sections as thermal breaks resulting in a low overall U-Value. The more reputable suppliers will provide a 25-year glazing guarantee and a 35-year warrantee on upstands.

Consider the installation process

At Sunsquare we recommend that each rooflight– where possible – is fitted onto an optional fully-insulated Sunsquare upstand complete with 5º pitch as standard. This ensures your Sunsquare rooflight fits well, provides enough height from the roof’s surface and allows for water run-off from the rooflight. Combined with a 75mm wide Sunsquare upstand, a SkyView rooflight provides U-values as low as 0.93 W/m²K.

As well as providing the upstand, we provide bedding tape that goes around the outside of the upstand, preventing the need for silicone to be used by the installer and creating a clean finish. We also provide screws to go in the sides. This means there are no hidden costs – every element is supplied to install.

Put safety first

It’s important to ensure that any rooflights you install are as safe as they can possibly be. When it comes to security, you should always look at a double glazed unit with an external pane made using toughened glass. For the inner pane, meanwhile, you should ideally look for heat-strengthened or laminated glass.

At Sunsquare we are proud to offer walk-on rooflight solutions that are fully checked and accredited by independent structural engineers too. While you would think that this be mandatory for such a product, do not be surprised if other companies inform you that a structural engineers report is available at extra cost.

Consider the finish

Depending on where you shop, there are various finishes and glass types available. The best suppliers will provide a number of glazing specifications to suit the needs of your project. These might include obscured glazing, solar control glazing and low maintenance glazing. Our external frame colour options include grey and black.

Look at the features

There are a range of hinged rooflights which are electrically controlled. Access rooflights are also becoming increasingly popular. With such units, ensure that the product you are considering includes appropriate safety features.

Does the supplier have a recognised quality system in place?

Established suppliers will have robust quality management systems in place. In June 2006, Sunsquare achieved certification against both ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 14001: 2015, way ahead of the 2018 deadline.

Hopefully we have made knowing what to look for in a rooflight supplier that much easier for you!

Useful links:

• NARM

• To find out more about Sunsquare, read more about us here.

• News article: Sunsquare offer laminated panes as standard.