Skylight Benefits Outweigh Fears

    FORT MILL, SC, July 10, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The green building and remodeling movement puts great emphasis on natural lighting, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency.

Moving air through our homes and distributing light can be, and usually is, accomplished by a combination of mechanical and passive means, with a fan and an open window being a simple example. But, in today's technical world, what's simple?
According to Joe Patrick, senior product manager with VELUX America, the chimney effect achieved by cutting a hole in a roof is simple. "Warm air rises. If there's a hole in the roof it will escape," Patrick says. That can be a good thing if that air is carrying volatile organic compounds (VOCs), stale air, odors, and other air-borne pollutants out. It can be a bad thing if it's raining.

But what if you put a venting skylight in that hole? "Then," Patrick says, "you've created a plus where there was a negative. You've provided a source of free, healthful natural light and ventilation. And you've made your home a more attractive, brighter place with an open feeling. In other words, you've put an emphasis on natural lighting, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency."

Green Attributes
Skylights, both the traditional type as well as the newer tubular skylights that are growing in popularity, fit nicely with today's emphasis on green construction, both new building and remodeling. But you've got to plan and shop carefully, position the units properly, and have a proper installation to assure a productive and pleasant experience with skylights.

Among The Benefits
Some of the major pros of skylights are that units from leading manufacturers are as well or better made than brand name windows. They are ENERGY STAR qualified with dual pane, argon gas-injected, low-e glass that is an excellent insulator and they also block UV rays from the sun that can fade furniture.

Traditional skylights are available in fixed or venting models with a wide selection of glass, including electrochromic glazing which allows homeowners to darken or lighten the glass by remote control without losing the view to the sky. "There is also the option of a complete selection of traditional accessories, including interior blinds and shades and exterior heatblock awnings to control heat loss and gain while adjusting the light as desired," Patrick says.

Tubular models, such as VELUX Sun Tunnel skylights, offer passive light collected by a roof-top dome and transmitted into the home through a highly reflective rigid or flexible tube to a ceiling diffuser that looks very much like a light fixture. These units are usually less expensive and easier to install, with an experienced DIYer able to handle the job in a morning if a professional installation isn't available or desired.

Leaks should no longer be feared
Among installation factors to be aware of, Patrick says, is location and orientation of the units. This should be determined by how the suns rises and sets relative to your roof. He suggests consideration of a shading accessory to address heat gain and possible glare from the afternoon sun if your skylights face south or southwest.

"After picking the location, proper installation is the most important factor in having a positive experience with skylights," Patrick says. "Quality units are sold with matched flashing kits designed and manufactured for the type of roof they are going on -- shingles, tiles, or metal. A quality skylight properly installed has no more tendency to leak than any other component that requires a hole in the roof of a home," he says.

For free information on the benefits of natural light and skylight selection, or for free house plans incorporating skylights, call 1-800-283-2831 or visit veluxusa.com. For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency visit energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit nfrc.org or efficientwindows.org.

Image/s caption - Venting skylights silently exhaust stale air while providing natural light from above

VELUX America Informational Series No. 7/08/F - Skylight Benefits Outweigh Fears - Apx. 650 Words

Media Contact:
Keith Hobbs - Business Services Associates, Inc. - 9413 Greenfield Drive -
Raleigh, NC 27615-2306 - Phone - 919.844.0064 - E-mail - [email protected]

For quick access to natural light feature material, daylighting case histories and background information, news releases, press kits and high-resolution images visit www.veluxusa.com and, from the Home page, go to the News Media section under "Professionals."

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