Mother Nature v. Skylights: Advantage Skylights

March 14, 2017 Neil Egan

Renovating and replacing building features and materials is an inevitable chore in the lifecycle of a structure.  When Mother Nature gets her ire up, building elements can get taken out of commission well before their natural life expectancy. Hail storms are among the worst natural hazards, and roofs and skylights are often among the first casualties.

Luckily, it’s often not necessary to do a completely new installation when existing skylights are damaged.  Replacement skylights can actually be an inexpensive proposition. If existing roof curbs are used, installation time can be as low as 10 minutes.  And today, there are replacement skylights built to take a beating.

Here are some important things to consider if it’s time to replace a skylight:

  • The skylight needs to withstand the elements. Choose skylights with acrylic prismatic lenses, which are more impact-resistant than other lenses.
  • Insulation is key. Find a solution with fully insulated thermal breaks so the metal frame isn’t exposed to the inside of a room.
  • Choose skylights that look good and take a beating. Before you buy, make sure the skylights have a good UV cap, so they won’t yellow quickly.
  • Look for skylights that use photo controls to support both daylight harvesting and LED lighting. This will improve energy payback.
  • For more efficiency, choose skylights that offer more usable light, like our Sunoptics® Signature Series, rather than passive skylight systems.

Skylights are a great asset: they are energy efficient and can cut electricity costs by up to 50 percent; even up to 80 percent when combined with LED luminaires and lighting controls.  They also help improve worker productivity by harnessing natural light. If you’re smart about skylight replacement, they will weather the next big storm.

Want to learn more? Visit www.sunoptics.com

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