Today's
TECHNOLOGY AND YOU

Let the light shine down on you

Q: Dear Jim: I saw some unique skylights on a recent new home tour that really brightened up the rooms. I want to install a venting model, but I have an attic above it. Can I still install one and what features are best? - Art W.

A: Dear Art: You are absolutely correct about the enhancing effect of adding a skylight to an otherwise ordinary room. I installed a large super-efficient one in my own family room. It brightened up the room so much that, for several weeks, I inadvertently walked over and tried to switch off the lights when I left the room.

Although skylights are certainly easier to install in a room with a sloped cathedral or vaulted ceiling, they are most often installed in rooms with flat ceilings with an attic above. All you have to do is build an insulated tapered lightwell between the roof and the ceiling.

From an energy efficiency standpoint, adding a high-quality efficient skylight is about a wash during the winter. Even the most efficient skylight loses more heat to the outdoors than an insulated attic floor or ceiling. I mounted a magnetic clear plastic storm window under my skylight to form a dead air space. It is barely noticeable when installed.

To offset this energy loss, installing one reduces the need for electric lights and, with the proper orientation, it provides some passive solar heat gain from the sun. A true solar south (slightly different from magnetic compass south) is best. A southwestern orientation is next. In all but the hottest climates, avoid a northern exposure. Installing a venting skylight, as you mentioned, can be a real energy saver in the summer. Since the hottest air in a room stagnates up at the ceiling, the skylight will exhaust it. This creates a natural air flow drawing fresh cooler outdoor air in your windows. With the new controls available, they are convenient to open and close.

If you have been to a local home center store to look for skylights, you have probably seen, at most, 5 percent of the styles and designs available. There is a huge array of shapes, frame designs, flat and domed

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glass and plastic glazing, etc. and each type has its advantages. Many of the smaller commercial models also work well for residential use. Two major design features to consider are the frame and the glazing materials. The strongest, most solid frames are made of wood with durable aluminum cladding on the exterior. These are also attractive with the natural wood exposed indoors. Another strong design fuses a fiberglass frame to the clear or tinted glazing for a leakproof unit. The glazing options are similar to new efficient window glass. Double pane glass, with a low-emissivity coating and argon gas in the gap between the panes, is a good choice for most homes and climates. Super-efficient Heat Mirror glass is available for cold climates. Triple acrylic panes are another efficient option and are lighter and easier to handle than skylights with glass glazing.

Because you plan to install a venting skylight in a lightwell, consider getting one with a TV-type hand-held or wall-mounted remote control. These will require running electric wiring to the skylight. If you have only a standard hand-crank rod, you probably won't end up opening it as often as you should to maximize energy savings in the summer. The same remote control can also be used to open and close mini-blinds or other shades under the skylight.

For a steeply pitched roof, as is often found in a remodeled attic, a floor-to-ceiling balcony-style skylight is ideal. It is made of two large sections. When it is opened, the lower half, which is hinged at the bottom, forms a balcony with a handrail. The upper half becomes a glass cover over your head.

Proper sizing of a skylight is also important. If the skylight is too small it will not provide adequate natural light or ventilation. If it is too big, there will be excessive heat loss in the winter and it will look out of proportion for the room. A good rule of thumb is that the skylight area should be about 5 percent of the room floor area.

You have several options for building your lightwell between the ceiling and the roof. For a roof with a low-pitch, the lightwell will not be deep, therefore straight-wall design is fine and simple to build. For a deeper lightwell on a steeper roof, a tapered lightwell allows for better light distribution in the room and generally looks better.

Write for (instantly download -www.dulley.com) Utility Bills Update No. 522 - buyer's guide of nine manufacturers of various retractable awning designs listing maximum widths, projections, features, prices, installation instructions and a fabric selector guide. Or write to: James Dulley, Illinois Country Living, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244. Please include $3.00 and a business-size SASE.

James Dulley is a mechanical engineer who writes on a wide variety of energy and utility topics. His column appears in a large number of daily newspapers.
Copyright 2001 James Dulley

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