At Urban & Grey, we work alongside the finest brands to bring our customers the finest skylights in the world. Manufacturers such as Sunsquare bring us products renowned for world-class performance and a stunning aesthetic.
And yet, how can you be sure you’re picking the right skylight for your home? Here, we’re going to take a look at everything you need to know about choosing the perfect one.
Choosing the right location
First things first, you’ll need to choose where the skylight is going to go. Without the right place to put it, a skylight will be a waste of money!
The right location is one that:
- Has enough natural light to take advantage of the many benefits that skylights offer
- Is facing a way that suits when you’d like the sun to hit it. (As with normal windows, having the skylight in one area of the house may mean it gets the sun in the morning, or the evening if it’s installed elsewhere).
- It will also be essential to ensure that the area has the space needed for the installation. Though firms like Sunsquare do offer high quality, customisable skylights, it is necessary to check that your chosen roof has enough physical space.
A point to remember on size. Depending on the width and length of the skylight, it may be necessary to choose a model with the correct tinted glass. Without this, larger skylights can create a greenhouse effect, and lead to over-exposure of UV light. (Ask us for more information on this if you’re unsure – they’ll be able to ensure you end up with the right model).
Are you going to require a walk-on model?
Many of our customers install walk-on skylights. As the name suggests, these skylights suit pedestrian areas such as roof terraces or internal corridors.
There are a number of benefits to walk-on skylights. They can really allow light to flood through a property, and they can give a really classy aesthetic to any space.
If you’re planning to have them in a residential area, ask us about walk-on rooflights.
Open or closed?
This will largely depend on the natural ventilation in your existing property. If you’ve got larger sliding doors, for instance, you may decide that a fixed skylight – one that doesn’t open – will be more than sufficient.
In smaller properties or those with less natural air flow, though, an open skylight is usually the better option. This is also ideal for helping to cut down that greenhouse effect when a skylight is on the larger side.
Remember, there are a lot of customisable options when it comes to opening skylights. Electric opening is reasonably common, and it’s also possible to purchase a model that senses the changing weather and opens or closes accordingly.
Which glazing option suits you best?
This will be effected by a number of different things:
- Your initial budget. The more glazing is required, the higher the price is likely to be.
- Personal preference. It may be that you simply don’t feel the need for higher glazing.
- How forward thinking you’re planning to be. Triple-glazing is more expensive upfront, but can make a real difference long-term.
- Your environmental approach. Double and triple glazing will mean your home loses less energy, cutting down your usage and making your home that little bit greener.
As ever, if you’re at all unsure, you can always consult us or your supplier to find out more.
Will you have any safety considerations?
On some occasions, our customers have very unique requirements that require specific considerations. For instance, rooms that have things like swimming pools or workshops built in. Always make your supplier aware of any extra issues like this, as it may mean a bespoke model is needed.
Get in touch
If you’re unsure about which skylight is the best for you, get in touch with Urban & Grey. We’ll work with you to make sure you end up with nothing less than the perfect product.