Skylights are increasingly common in new homes today. Skylights are not only practical, they're beautiful too. Few things compare to natural sunlight streaming into your home. Natural sunlight helps to regulate the body's circadian rhythm, inducing better night time sleep and staving off the "blues" in the winter. These are just a few of the advantages to installing skylights in your home.
If you're building a new home or renovating an existing one, there are four other advantages to installing skylights, including:
1) Skylights maximize natural light in darker parts of your home. Rather than cutting down that hundred year-old oak tree that is casting shade over the front of your house, a skylight in your entryway might let you keep the tree and still enjoy natural sunlight. They will brighten up just about any dark area in your home. They add a sense of spaciousness. This can be especially advantageous in a smaller home, creating an illusion of space and depth.
2) They can help cut down on your electric bill. Strategically-placed skylights replace the need for electric lighting, at least during the daytime. They also add heat to your home, cutting down on the amount of electric or gas heat you'll need to generate. All of this can translate into big savings, even up to 20% per year.
3) Skylights are "green." Since you're saving electricity, you're helping to preserve the environment. In fact, one of the latest trends in home building is "green" homes, houses built with maximizing efficiency and preserving nature in mind. These green homes almost always include skylights in some manner. Even if you can't afford all of the latest innovations in green home technology, skylights are still relatively affordable, especially when you consider the energy cost savings they can produce. Plus, you can feel good about helping to reduce your carbon footprint.
4) They increase the overall value of your home. You can usually count on getting back any money you invest in installing skylights in the way of increased home value.
Skylights have modern appeal, both for their energy-efficiency and for the beauty that they add to a home.
Installing skylights in your home is a relatively easy way to add warmth and value to a home. If you're building a brand new home, it's easy to include them in your initial plans. If you plan to add them to an existing home it will be well worth the effort and the investment. One of the biggest advantages to installing skylights in your home: they can transform an average, ordinary home into an extraordinarily-livable space.
