Replacement Residential Skylights - Better Than Roofing Over
The benefits of having a skylight in your home have been well documented. They increase the warmth of your home, they increase the value, and they can even save money on your utility bills. There’s even been studies to show they have incredible health benefits also. But if your skylight is cracked or leaking, you’re probably not interested in these things right now. You probably want to know why you should get a replacement residential skylight.
Your first idea in your frustration might be to call a roofer to shingle over it. After all, that last hail storm caused the problem, and you think it will probably happen again. But stop for a second and think seriously about replacing it instead. Maybe a problem with the installation or even the type of skylight is the cause of your current problem.
Perhaps you just need a skylight made of a stronger material, especially if your problems are caused by falling object, stray golf shots, or excessive hail. Glass is probably not the best decision here, but acrylic and polycarbonate skylights are. Acrylic skylights won’t break the bank, they’re stronger than glass, and will even filter out some of the light if you want.
But if it’s extreme strength you’re after, then you can’t do any better than the almost unbreakable polycarbonate skylight. Polycarbonate is used to make bulletproof windows. How’s that for strong? And the material is even lighter than acrylic.
But don’t discount glass either, just make sure you make a few simple additions. Glass skylights can be coated with a film that will act to make it stronger, and provide a filter for the light as well. You can also improve the strength of a glass skylight by buying double panels. Not only will your replacement skylight be more durable, it will improve its insulation ability and therefore can lower your energy bills as well.
You’ll have plenty of options with all skylights. Everything from domed, to pyramid shaped, to tubular to round is available. True these are primarily aesthetic choices, but not entirely. Different skylights are made to be installed on different roof types. So make sure whatever you get is made to be installed on your particular roof, whether it is peaked or flat.
And let’s not forget the importance of proper installation. So many people think they’ll save a few dollars by doing it themselves. These people find out when the first rain comes that they may have made a mistake. That’s a bad time to find out. Installing a skylight is really not that difficult, but you have even the slightest doubt about whether you can do it right, then have it professionally installed right from the start.
Don’t be so quick to immediately call a roofer when your skylight breaks or leaks. Make a few good choices and you’ll see that getting a replacement residential skylight is almost always a better option.
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