Where to Install Skylights in Your Home
Skylights are an excellent way to bring natural light into your home, creating an open and inviting atmosphere. They can make rooms feel larger, reduce energy consumption, and even improve your mood.
However, deciding where to place skylights requires careful consideration to maximize their benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls. Factors like room functionality, ceiling structure, and natural light patterns should all be considered.
In this Solatube guide, we’ll walk you through selecting the best locations for skylights, choosing the right type for each space, and ensuring they boost your home’s aesthetic and functionality. Whether you are hoping to brighten a dim hallway or add a focal point to your living room, this guide will help you make an informed decision.
How to Pick the Best Location for a Skylight
Choosing the right location for a skylight involves more than just aesthetics. Functionality and practicality should also play a significant role. Here’s how to determine the best spot:
Assess Natural Light Patterns
Observe how natural light moves through your home throughout the day. Rooms with limited windows or those that face north are ideal candidates for skylights. These spaces often lack sufficient sunlight and can benefit significantly from an overhead light source.
Test for Glare or Overheating Risk
Hold a mirror or reflective surface up to the ceiling during different times of day to simulate how sunlight will hit the space. If the room faces direct sunlight, this can cause glare or overheating.
Of course, if you install a Solatube skylight, our Low-E glass and insulated thermal barriers can help to eliminate this issue.
Evaluate Your Privacy Needs
For bedrooms, bathrooms, or other private areas, ensure the skylight won’t compromise privacy. Frosted glass or shades can help if the location is otherwise ideal.
Identify Functional Benefits
Think about how the skylight will improve the space beyond aesthetics. For example, placing one above a kitchen island or workspace can provide task lighting, while installing one in a stairwell can illuminate an otherwise shadowy area.
What Type of Skylight Should You Install?
The location of your skylight will largely dictate the type you should choose. Skylights come in two primary varieties: tubular and traditional. Each serves different purposes and works best in specific spaces.
Traditional Skylights
Traditional skylights are flat windows installed directly into the roof. These larger fixtures are designed to flood a room with natural light and create an expansive, airy atmosphere.
Traditional skylights offer advantages like:
- Maximizing natural light to enhance the brightness and openness of larger spaces.
- Serving as architectural features that draw the eye and elevate the overall design of a room.
- Reducing energy use during the day with ample natural light.
Generally speaking, traditional skylights are best for spaces such as:
- Living Rooms: Perfect for creating a dramatic centerpiece, especially in rooms with vaulted ceilings. A traditional skylight can make a living room feel brighter, more open, and better connected to the outdoors.
- Kitchens: Install over a central island or dining area to improve natural light in a room where bright, functional lighting is essential.
- Bedrooms: Adds a calming, natural light source, particularly in master bedrooms where the goal is to create a relaxing retreat.
Put simply, traditional skylights are an excellent choice for larger rooms that’ll benefit from more light and an open, airy feel.
Tubular Skylights
Tubular skylights are compact, cylindrical fixtures that channel sunlight through a reflective tube, directing it into your home. They’re specifically designed for spaces where a traditional skylight might not fit or be practical.
Some of the main advantages of tubular skylights include:
- Optimizing light distribution in small or enclosed spaces where windows are not feasible.
- Offering a straightforward and budget-friendly installation process, even in tight spaces.
- Enhancing energy efficiency by minimizing heat gain and loss.
Tubular skylights work particularly well in locations like:
- Bathrooms: Natural light in bathrooms can improve functionality and ambiance. Tubular skylights offer the added benefit of privacy without the need for curtains or blinds.
- Hallways: Brighten dim corridors where windows are not an option. Tubular skylights can make these transitional spaces feel more open and inviting.
- Closets and Laundry Rooms: Bring daylight into small utility spaces that often rely on artificial lighting.
Tubular skylights are a practical solution for spaces with limited ceiling area or rooms that need a concentrated light source.
At Solatube, we offer both traditional and tubular skylights – and our knowledgeable dealers will be more than happy to help you figure out the best place to put them! To get started, just give us a call at (888) 765-2882.