When you think of skylights you may picture them as unattractive, inefficient, fading plastic bubbles that leak. If so, you’re probably thinking, to paraphrase an old auto commercial, of “your father’s skylights.”
According to Roger LeBrun, product certification engineer with VELUX America, today’s skylights, properly installed, don’t leak. “Matched flashing systems and other improvements have done away with the number one fear of people who are considering cutting a hole in a perfectly good roof,” LeBrun says.
Skylights are useful in all areas of the home but are particularly popular in bathrooms and kitchens. According to an American Standard survey, American homeowners say if they had a choice of accessories for the ultimate dream bathroom, the number one option would be a skylight to bathe the room with more natural light. Add the privacy factor of light from above, plus the passive ventilation available with venting skylights, and you’ve dramatically upgraded one of the most used rooms in the home at a very reasonable price.
Aside from the aesthetic benefits of balanced natural light, there are health related considerations. Studies show that twenty percent of our population suffers varying degrees of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Individuals with SAD may experience depression, lower energy, an increased appetite, and a need for more sleep. SAD is directly linked to insufficient daylight.
And there are other light-related health considerations, particularly for older adults. Researchers McFarland and Fisher report that to accommodate the adaptation of the aging eye, the amount of light required for visual acuity doubles for each 13 years after the age of 20. More natural light equals better sight, especially for seniors.

Or, perhaps you have youngsters at home. Students perform significantly better in environments that are lit with natural rather than artificial light. A study directed by Heschong Mahone Group in California tracked test scores for 21,000 students in California, Colorado and Washington found that learning rates were 26 percent higher in reading and 20 percent higher in math in rooms with the most natural light.
Low-E energy-efficient glass in modern, ENERGY STAR® qualified units, is durable, reduces external noises, and won’t discolor as did older plastic bubble skylights.
And skylights no longer just sit there. Light and heat gain or loss through skylights can be controlled as never before. Electric venting models are available with remote control, blinds, shades, awnings, insect screening and automatic rain sensors. Skylights are also available with electrochromic glass that lightens and darkens by remote control without cutting off the view to the sky.
For simple, quick installation in areas where traditional skylights may not be the best solution, VELUX SUN TUNNEL™ skylights may be the answer. They admit passive light through highly reflective rigid or flexible tubing to go around obstructions between the roof and ceiling, and provide abundant natural light through diffusers in hallways, bathrooms, pantries, walk-in closets or other smaller, confined areas.
For free information on the benefits of natural light and skylight selection, or for free house plans incorporating skylights, call 1-800-283-2831 or visit veluxusa.com. For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency visit energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit nfrc.org or efficientwindows.org.

Media Contact:
Chan Hoyle
104 Ben Casey Drive
Fort Mill, SC 29708
chan.hoyle@velux.com
803-396-5738
www.veluxusa.com



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