Why You May Want to Get Skylights That Open
Posted on: 10 August 2023
When you buy skylights, you have a couple of options. You can get fixed skylights, which are really fixed panes of glass, or skylights that open, which are like having a window in the ceiling. It may seem strange at first to have a skylight that opens as the height of the skylight — it's on the ceiling, after all — would make opening and closing it rather difficult unless you had a telescoping pole to reach the glass. But a skylight that opens may actually be a much better choice, especially if you're in a home where ventilation isn't the best.
Allowing Hot Air to Flow Out
First, a skylight on the ceiling is in the perfect location when your home is warm and you want to cool it down. Open the skylight and let that hot air that's risen flow out, while cooler air fills the rest of the house. Add a fan or three to help move that hot air around and out of the house for a more comfortable living environment. This is not going to fully replace air conditioning, especially on very hot days. But if it's one of those days when it's just a bit too warm in the home, opening the skylight can help. The warm air that's been near the ceiling can now continue rising up and out of the house.
Creating More Cross-Ventilation
If you're lucky and have a home with lots of windows in each room, then you know how refreshing it can be to have a cross-breeze. If you're not that lucky and have some rooms where the ventilation isn't that good, adding a skylight that opens solves that problem. Open the windows that you do have and open the skylight, and you can get some pretty good air circulation going. And if the room has no windows, for whatever reason, the skylight provides much-needed fresh air.
Reducing Cooling Bills
When you give warm air in a room a way to escape, and you increase the ventilation, you make that room cooler overall. Breezes and fresh air help fight back against feeling too hot or too closed in. As a result, you may find yourself using your air conditioner less, either because you're turning it on less or because you don't need to set the thermostat as low as you once did. That results in a drop in your electric bills, which is a welcome financial break.
Contact a professional to learn more about skylight installation.
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