Install Skylight

Before installing your skylights you might want to hire a licensed contractor to fit your skylights even if you are good with your hands.  Having a professional fit your skylights is highly recommended.  You want to do some research before hiring a contractor, so you get a fair price for the work they do.  Good rates are hard to come by, so ask your friends for some recommendations before making any final decisions.   

Installing skylights are usually no more than three easy to do steps.  Determining the location of where you want to place your skylight is the first step.  You then want to cut an opening into the ceiling.  Next, you want to make sure all joints are sealed before your skylight unit is attached to the ceiling.  Lastly, it is necessary to make sure that the light shaft from the roof to the ceiling that you are using is made with paneling or drywall or it will not work properly. 

If you have more of a complex skylight shaft, it can take more time to construct and resulting in a headache.  Creating the light tunnel needs to be done and most people have structural work done before or have roof framing experts alter the roof frames.  It is also possible to alter the frames yourself if you know what you are doing.  Some manufactures offer installation services for people like you and me.

Saving money on electric is one of the reasons that most people have skylights installed in their home and to ensure that the maximum energy performance is achieved it is recommended that you have a professional install your skylight.

Another factor to consider when installing skylights is the slope and moisture control.  The slope affects solar heat gain tremendously and is the tilt of the skylight.  Low slopes are not good to have because they give more heat in the summer and less in the winter.  The recommended slope to have is equal to your geographical latitude.

Also keep in mind that common problems for skylights are water leaks.  Water leaks can be a hassle if the skylight is not maintained properly.  Installing a curb is one way to prevent leakage.  Curbs deflect the rainwater.  Another way to prevent leakage is making sure that your skylight is mounted properly above the surface of the roof.   Applying a layer of waterproofing sheet over the curb is recommended because it protects against leaking and clogging.

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