No need to lights in the daytime now!
I love our new skylights! Last year we had one roof window
installed in our middle living room.
The cooling benefits in summer were incredible. We were able to let hot air out and get
some air flow (which is tricky in a very old weatherboard house). Retro-fitting green elements to a house
like ours take a lot of thought and challenges. These houses were not designed with passive cooling and heating in mind. I know that we aren't going to reverse climate change by installing skylights and hence using less electricity (air-con, heating and lights in the daytime) but figure that every bit counts.
After being impressed with the first roof window, we decided to get more installed. One fixed skylight in the middle living
room and 2 roof windows in our very hot back room. The impact is quite amazing. I keep going to turn the lights off in the kitchen in the
daytime, only to realise that it is natural light. People who live in small, dark houses will understand how
great that is! We can use the
blinds to block out sun when we want to, let the sun in when it is cold, and
open them up for breeze. I sound
as if I am working for a skylight company!! Even though the cost may seem a lot for each one (between
$1500-$2500 depending on whether it opens or not and size), it is not much
compared to re-building and installing windows, louvres etc….which was our
other choice.
The roof windows with blinds closed - very dark by 3pm
Let there be light!!
12 comments:
There are skylights in our 110 year old ancestral house in Mysore, which keep the house so cool in mid summer. Present day architects ignore the use of these skylights, which is a pity. I enjoyed reading your post.
That's amazing! I love light - I only wish our kitchen didn't face west... the whole house design is wrong for us (we're in Sydney), all the windows face east or west. There's a pergola on the west side to shade a lot of the windows but we didn't extend it far enough to cover the kitchen window... the skylights look wonderful!
Thanks lotusleaf and Lilian. I know the problem Lilian - our house has been designed with little thought to aspect. I guess in our case the houses were built as worker's cottages with the idea being quick, cheap, and to squeeze lots of them in. Funny that they have ended up being so sought after! The best, sunniest room in the house is the bathroom and toilet!
Awesome! Looks great and I can imagine what a difference it will make.
We're lucky we've got a good aspect and double brick, so it's warm in summer, cool in winter. One of the major reasons we are so happy to stay and make the most of it. Esp after living in Meadowbank.
Great idea!
I'd love to put a skylight in our gloomy south-facing laundry, if only I could get over the trauma of trying to fix the leaking bathroom exhaust fan :-(
Installing skylights made your house more beautiful, with natural light providing better color to your rooms. That’s the beauty of using natural daylight: you can make a particular area appear livelier and larger. Just like you mentioned, your living room looks calming with the light provided by your skylights.
Galliena Gornet
Skylights, when installed properly and situated in the right place, can make a striking difference in the overall look and feel of the house. It is an ideal way to lighten any room or area of the house. And the natural light and view can improve the beauty and value of your home. You definitely made the right decision in including skylights in your house design.
I also like houses with skylights. True enough, nothing beats the aesthetic benefit of having natural light come in to light up a room. It just gives a certain kind of energy and life to a space. Aside from making use of a natural light source, a skylight is also appealing from the outside because it breaks the monotony of the roof design. Indeed, it is a functioning accent piece!
I’ve been hearing a lot of good comments about installing a skylight in your house. I am planning to install one in my bedroom. I just love the idea of sleeping under the midnight stars without leaving my bedroom. Isn’t that romantic?
Skylights and roof windows definitely presents a lot of benefits for homeowners. Aside from providing natural light to homes, you can save energy and lower the cost of your electric bill. But the best thing about this roofing system is that you can control the amount of light that gets inside the house. Upon looking at your kitchen pictures, I think that you happy with your skylight!
Hi Lanie, I am currently designing our new home and have been looking through blogs and interior magazines searching for ideas in regards to aspect and light. I am a big fan of skylights and raked ceilings. What rooms would you recommend facing north and which rooms are best for facing west/south?
Installing skylights can add warmth and provide a certain charm in your home. They are often considered as a luxury addition to the home, but they can actually become a green home improvement. What I like more about it is that it reduces the use of artificial lightning, maximizing the natural light in the dark areas of your home.
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