Skylights: Saving You Energy With Natural Light
Skylights have been used throughout history since the Roman Era, and in many different palaces, churches, and pristine homes worldwide and can be some of the most elegant and innovative improvements to a house, helping your home stand out above the rest.While they have stood the test of time, Gold Standard Restorations has kept up with the continuous innovations they have encountered and we are experts in not just where they should go but installing them in your home as well. They are not only a sign of elegance but they can also give any onlooker the idea of how sophisticated that property may be on the inside.
A Brief History And Key Factors Involving Skylights
In the old times, the idea of skylights was to bring natural and direct sunlight into some of the most prominent buildings during the day to prevent the need for candles or fire. Over time, however, skylights have been upgraded and formatted to fit the homes we live in now and have also been labeled incredibly eco-efficient. They bring not just a new look to your home but have also proved to be significantly more energy-saving because of the ability to keep the lights off in your home. Even on some of the sunniest days around, another attribute of the skylight lets in a great deal of heat to help warm the house, taking some of the workload off of the central heater as well.
Innovations In Skylight Installation
Not too long ago, the slope of your house’s roof majorly affected the price of the installation or if you could even have one installed at all. Now, with new developments for the outside construction of homes and the infrastructure supporting them as well, nearly any house can be formatted to benefit from a skylight. Since we have begun installing these small wonders that literally transform any room in your home we have come to trust only one brand and that is Velux. This company has been around since the 1940s and are well on their way to closing a century in the books. The products they offer have withstood both the test of time and their developers have been able to keep up with today’s “smart” world. Even blinds for skylights have been manufactured over the years to be installed with a wired switch down to a convenient spot in your home or even just a crankshaft to manually open it. Now with things like wi-fi and Bluetooth, nearly everything can be controlled in the palm of your hand and the blinds on both the ground floor and up above are no exception. Our expert installers are ready to work with many of their different products to bring what suits your home best and brings light into your home all over the greater Chicago area. When you decide to make the change to a more energy-efficient and eco-friendly home, Gold Standard’s professional contractors will be the company to call to get your new skylights installed.
A Quick Rundown Of How We’ll Install Your New Skylight
For many homeowners that grow indoor plants, a skylight can be a major benefit because they would not have to bring their plants over to the windows for sunlight throughout the day. After all, it brings in bright, indirect light to a much closer vicinity.
Our team begins by cutting out a hole in the top of your roof (obviously) when being installed. But before we put the tools in action, we’ll put pen to paper with every homeowner to find out where you want it and how it will benefit your home’s energy efficiency.
Our consultants will first make sure your roof can sustain a skylight, that it goes in the room you’d like, and once the paperwork is done, our crew of experts will make their way up to the attic. While they are up on top, they will make sure the supports are in the right areas to bear the load, the roof is in a quality condition from the underneath, and the spot that will be penetrating the interior ceiling.
The next step in the process is getting the correct material and making sure it coincides with the style of skylight you’ve purchased. Once all the roofing material is on-site, we begin by creating supports for the hole itself while still staying within the local code for residential houses in the area. The roof that you have will depend on the holes that need to be made to insert the window.
For instance, if you can see the slope of your roof inside your house, a simple hole goes into the roof. Of course, necessary supports and framing will be made on the interior and the exterior will still withstand rain, sleet, and snow.
However, if you have attic space, typically that means our crew will have to get into the attic underneath the place where the window will be installed. Gold Standard experts will also make you aware of the several different styles for the light shaft that will be installed within the attic space to accompany the skylight.
One style is perpendicular to the window which will let light flow straight through the hole. The same can be said for the style of shaft that is perpendicular to the ceiling as well. If you want the most light brought into the room it’s being installed in, a flared shaft will give the most light every time, even if it’s opposite sides that are flared out.
Step-Flashing: A Critical Part Of The Installation
The next process is cutting into the roof itself and framing the sides of the roof where the skylight is going to go and after inserting the frame and verifying the supports in the attic are ready, we install the skylight. This can be a very arduous task because not only are we trying to prevent a faulty roof, but this is where “step flashing” comes into play.
To give our customers and potential clients an idea, step flashing is making sure the shingles you have will overlap each other after the skylight is installed, ensuring the rainfall will continue flowing down to the drain. Then, our team will make sure the framing for the light itself is overlapping the existing shingles on your roof, assuring the downward flow.
Although it sounds simple, if done incorrectly, this action can cause leaks through the window, roof leaks, or during a bad wind storm, can possibly tear off shingles. That is why Gold Standard Restorations and our professional installers will make sure that careful technique is used throughout the entire installation.
Benefits Of A Few Skylights Just Keep Going Up!
Just because shingles are so common and come in a large variety doesn’t mean every home has them. Some homes are covered with metal roofs or even tile but that won’t stop Gold Standard Restorations from installing skylights into your home!
While these types of roofs may bring a new and refined look, and it may cost a bit more, it will take a significant amount of skill and experience, which our professional installers can and will happily provide!
Don’t wait to start saving energy and call us today at 847-495-2399 to see what kinds of styles of skylights would fit your home and how they can benefit both your home and your wallet. Always remember to Go for Gold! Go for Gold Standard Restorations!
