Why You Should Consider Adding a Bathroom Skylight to Your Home
Are you looking for a company that can install tubular skylights in your bathroom? Look no further than BM Skylights. We are a Solatube Premier Dealer servicing Wollongong, Nowra, Shoalhaven, and beyond. Get a free quote today.
Natural light is not only a source of illumination but it is also an important element in creating a pleasant atmosphere in your bathroom. However, sometimes, sunlight passing through your window may not be enough to lighten up your space.
To add natural light to your bathroom, you may consider installing a skylight.
But before coming up with a final decision, here's what you need to know about skylights.
What is a skylight?
A skylight is an opening in the roof that allows natural light to come in. It’s especially useful in rooms of the house that don't have windows and that of which artificial lighting isn’t enough to provide visibility inside. Surprisingly, they are perfect to install on your flat roof.
There are three types of skylights to choose from - tubular, fixed and ventilation skylights. Each can come in different sizes, shapes, and forms.
Usually designed to fit the size and style of your roof, they can be flat, arched, domed, pyramidal, or any other shape you can imagine.
Types of Skylights for Your Home
1. Tubular skylights
Smaller than fixed skylights and ventilated skylights, a tubular skylight is perfect for bathrooms of any size, but especially for smaller ones. It doesn't take up much space since it only uses a rooftop dome to collect solar energy.
The light will then be transmitted indoors using a highly reflective tube-shaped duct. From there, natural light will then be distributed to the chamber below an installed diffuser.
Tubular skylights may be smaller than regular skylights, but they are more energy-efficient. What's more, they are also the best option if you are trying to save on labour and installation costs as their components and the amount of work required to install them are both significantly smaller.
If you're interested in getting tubular skylights, BM Skylights is a premier Solatube skylight dealer that can assist you from initial consultation and design up to installation.
2. Fixed skylights
Fixed skylights are designed to open up and refresh any room inside your home by providing natural light to come in. They perfectly provide additional light in places of the home where ventilation is not a problem.
As the name itself suggests, fixed skylights cannot be opened since they are securely sealed to provide light, not air.
Among other skylights, fixed skylights are the safest to use since they are leak-proof. However, they are not as easy to install as tubular skylights.
3. Ventilation skylights
On the other hand, ventilating skylights are designed to be opened and closed for airflow control. Although they intend to add natural light to your not-so-bright rooms, their main purpose is to release any hot air that has been trapped in your ceiling or flat roof.
A ventilating skylight is usually used in bathrooms where ventilation is a priority. It hosts an opening skylight to manage air circulation and improve air quality.
Perfect to use in highly humid spaces like bathrooms, this type of skylight, however, may be prone to condensation and roof leaks.
Importance of Natural Light in Bathrooms
Bathrooms typically receive less natural light than other areas of the home. This is mainly because they are often situated in corners that have very little exposure to the sun.
When you’re designing your home, it’s important to factor in the amount of natural light your home receives. This can help you decide what kind of skylights will suit your bathrooms.
Take note that you will need to adjust the size of your skylights depending on how large your space is.
The Benefits of Installing Bathroom Skylights
Whether tubular or conventional, installing a skylight gives you all the benefits you won't expect to get from regular artificial lighting. So, here are the top reasons why it is a good idea to install skylights in your bathroom.
Increases Natural Lighting
Bathrooms need more light than any part of your home. Considering that you add skylights on it, you will certainly increase the overall natural light in your bathroom. Better yet, if your bathroom doesn't have any windows, you won't need to use much electricity to provide it with bright light
During summer season, you can put blinds on your skylight to minimise sun exposure while you take a bath.
Compared with any other artificial light, the sun's natural light is still the best light source. Hence, the bigger your bathroom skylight is, the more light will spread in your space.
Improves Our Biological Rhythm
We all know that the natural light from the sun has the ability to set our moods up and give us high energy levels all throughout the day.
That's why having a skylight in your bathroom allows you to have the vitamin D that you need without actually staying outdoors.
Vitamin D from the sun has been proven to improve our body's production of Melatonin, which is the hormone responsible for our biological rhythm. By obtaining it, we can get a better sleep at night.
Adds Visual Appeal
Skylights can improve the overall aesthetic of your bathroom. Not only does it make your room look bigger but it also adds vibrancy to the whole space, adding more personality to your room design.
Skylights installation is also good idea if you want to enjoy the scenic view of the clouds and the sky inside the comfort of your bathrooms.
No matter how simple your shower or bathroom interior is, bathroom skylights have the ability to make your bathroom luxurious and stylish without overdoing it.
Saves Money on Your Energy Bill
If you want to save money on your energy bill and significantly reduce your carbon footprint on the environment, you may want to consider installing skylights in your bathroom.
Many manufacturers have also been using window-glazing technologies not only to add insulation to the material but also to promote energy efficiency.
Investing in skylights basically gives you the opportunity to be in style while cutting down on your energy costs and being mindful of our environment.
Improves Air Flow and Temperature
Needless to say, skylights (particularly ventilated) add better air flow to any bathroom space whether big or small.
Especially if you avail the UV protection glasses, you can shield yourself from harmful UV rays while keeping your home cool. You still get to enjoy the brightness of the sky while preventing hot air from coming in.
Apart from installing bathroom exhaust fans, skylights will significantly improve the overall ventilation of your bathroom.
If your bathroom is too small for a conventional skylight and it only has ample provisions for a tubular skylight, there's a roof ventilation fan from Solatube designed to cool your entire home efficiently all year round. So as long as you have a Solatube whole-house fan, you can enjoy the same ventilation benefits offered by conventional skylights even if you only have tubular skylights.
Slows Down Mould Growth
Moulds usually thrive in dark areas of the house, which is why it is not surprising that they are chronically visible in bathrooms where there is limited lighting.
Basically, what kills moulds is the ultraviolet (UV) radiation present in the sun. UV light emits short wavelengths that infiltrates the mould and other spores, preventing them to thrive. This is the reason why we don't see much of moulds outside.
Also, since the bathroom has high humidity levels, you can expect to see steam or condensation forming on the inner part of your skylight. To avoid this, slightly open a window or simply use a dehumidifier to release water from the air.
Solatube's roof ventilation solution also offers additional protection against mould and moisture. This is because it works all year round to drive heat and moisture out of your roof, helping to prevent mould from ever setting in.
Increases the Value of Your Home
Bathroom skylights are a great addition to modern architecture, which gives us an idea that having them in your home may possibly increase the overall value of your property. The more modern your house is, the more expensive it will be.
Skylights do not only look expensive but they are actually expensive to have. In fact, you will literally break your bank from installation up to its maintenance. But on the brighter side, it will positively impact your energy savings.
If ever you are planning to sell your home in the future, skylights will definitely add value to your property.
Things to Consider Before Installing a Skylight
Installing a skylight in your bathroom involves some special considerations. Since the bathroom is one of the most humid spaces inside your home, expect that condensation will occur.
In this case, it is better if you will leave it to the experts. If you don't have much knowledge and experience, DIY installation may not be a good idea as they might leak if not installed properly.
Depending on how your bath looks like, here's an idea on which type of glass to use on your skylight.
Type of Glasses
A double glazed glass can reduce heat by up to 80% as compared with a single glazed one. But if you want a better alternative, choose the triple glazed glass which is 40% more thermally efficient than others.
A triple glazed skylight window has three panes of glasses that feature a light filtering accent to block UV light from going through inside your home. In addition, it also has a noise reduction and cooling feature to help your bath feel more airy.
Building Codes
You can install a skylight typically anywhere you like, either in the shower, ceiling, or in other rooms of your home.
However, before anything else, you should first consult with your architect or interior designer regarding the proper building code requirements of skylights installation.
What Should be the Standard Size of a Bathroom Skylight?
If it's a conventional skylight, the size of your skylight should generally be between 3% to 5% of your bathroom space or floor area. And it should almost be close to that of a decent-sized window.
If you are planning to install a bigger skylight, you should also consider how many windows you already have in your room. Typically, a big bathroom skylight is ideal for a windowless bathroom.
But if you are leaning more towards getting a tubular skylight, sizing shouldn't be that much of a concern as they are way smaller than traditional skylights. For standard home installations, the sizing of tubular skylights typically runs from 10 inches to 18 inches.
Key Takeaway
If your bathroom lacks natural light or doesn't have any windows, adding any type of skylight can make a world of difference. This is because skylights come with many essential benefits including increased natural light (or added natural light if your bath has no windows), improved ventilation, and better airflow and ventilation. But which of the three main types should you get?
Tubular skylights, such as those offered by Solatube, are an excellent choice for bathrooms of all sizes, but especially for smaller ones where there's not enough roof space to accommodate a larger installation. If ventilation is a concern, you can install a tubular vent system along with your tubular skylight and still save a lot of money compared to the cost of getting a ventilation skylight.
On the other hand, fixed skylights are a good way to add more natural light to your bathroom, but they are larger in size and more expensive than tubular skylights because of the materials and labour involved. Their installation is also fixed, which means it cannot be opened for ventilation.
Lastly, ventilation skylights are ideal for bathrooms where ventilation is a priority due to them having provisions for both natural light and air circulation. They are, however, more costly than tubular skylights and fixed skylights because of their size, operating mechanism, and other added components and features.
So, which type of skylight is better? At the end of the day, it all depends on your needs and preferences. If you are looking for something more budget-friendly and less intrusive in terms of space, you can never go wrong with tubular skylights, which you can pair with a tubular vent for added air circulation. If your bathroom has a lot of roof space to spare and ventilation is not a concern, then a fixed skylight might be for you. And if you have ample roof space and want to add natural light and ventilation to your bathroom at the same time, then ventilated skylights might just be what you need.
Light Up Your Bathroom with BM Skylights
Looking for a reliable bathroom skylight installation in your area? BM Skylights has been the premier dealer of Solatube Skylights in Wollongong for many years. We specialise in Solatube skylight installations and are happy to help you every step of the way, from planning and design up to installation. If you want to enhance the style and functionality of your bathroom, consider adding a skylight.
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