Rooflights can transform a home in terms of looks and feel but when it comes to choosing rooflights, what things should you consider?
Choosing the Right Rooflight Sizes – What You Need to Know
Naturally, the main reason why people choose to have roof windows is that they enable more light to enter your property. However, to ensure your rooms benefit from the right light, you need to select the correct rooflight size. As a result, this will depend on the roof type and dimensions, the type of opening system and the glazing option that you choose.
Furthermore, they also come in varying sizes and so, you should look at understanding all of the considerations you need to make in order to get the roof window project right.
What to Consider When Choosing your Rooflight
To begin with, you’ll need to consider whether installing a skylight is a possibility and whether planning permission is a requirement. Once you have identified this, you’ll need to think about your expectations and requirements. How much light are you looking to add to the room? Where on the roof will the windows be installed? Are you looking to add a rooflight that enables you to enjoy the views? Are you looking for one that adds privacy? These are important questions and ones that you will need to answer before you take the next step as they will all have an impact on your home. It’s not just about how they look because they will also impact the comfort of your home too. Too much sunlight and rooms could become too hot, so you’ll need to think about these kinds of things to get everything right.
Where Should Roof Lights Be Located?
One of the things you should consider to begin with is where you need to locate your roof windows in order to allow in the most amount of sunlight. Practically, you might need to consider structural design issues when it comes to positioning a rooflight such as any beams or electrics.
The direction of the roof windows is also something else you will need to consider as that will impact the amount of light entering a room. If you are installing roof windows on a kitchen extension and want plenty of morning light then you should have east-facing windows where possible. If you require more light in your living room during the day, then west-facing roof windows will suffice.
What Roof Windows and Rooflights Size Should You Choose?
The larger the roof windows are, the more light you will receive. Despite this, you should consider balancing the size of your rooflights with other elements such as the feeling of space. Going for a larger rooflight could mean that you leave a room too warm or too right, so finding that balance is vital. You’ll also need to consider the style of your property because a modern home will benefit from modern rooflights that have large glazing while a listed building or period property will benefit from something more subtle and attuned with the property design.
Consider The Style of Roof Window
After choosing the location of your roof windows as well as the size, you’ll need to think about the design that suits your property. You can pick from fixed flat rooflight that are non-opening and low maintenance. This is a more cost-effective option if you are looking to save money.
You could opt for electronically controlled rooflights that cannot be reached yet you still want to open them. These can be operated using a wall-mounted or handheld control. They can also come with sensors that detect rain so that the windows close automatically.
Lantern rooflights can be installed on a flat roof or even along the ridge of a pitched roof to resemble that of a conservatory. Much like this, they will have frames that are made of timber or powder-coated steel although it is possible to choose metal-reinforced PVC if that’s what you desire.
If you live in a conservation area then you can choose from conservation rooflights that are specifically designed for listed buildings or converted buildings. It’s common for local authority planners to dictate that these lights are fitting flush with the roof so they are discreet.
Type of Glazing
There are different types of glazing on offer depending on your needs. You can opt for energy-saving glazing, heat controlling glazing and noise-reducing glazing. If the room is east or north-facing then you might want energy-saving glazing to help retain heat during the winter months. If the rooflights are pointing south or west, then temperature-controlling rooflights while those properties with noise pollution might benefit from noise-reducing glazing.
