These days, homeowners are looking for ways to get more natural light in their homes by installing rooflights. There are a lot of considerations to make when choosing between a flat roof skylight and pitched roof windows when it comes to how much light they can bring into the property.
In this article, we offer a comparison between the two types, focusing on the importance of natural light. Let’s get things going.
Key Takeaways
- Natural light is crucial for your living space because it increases mood, productivity, and sleep quality
- Pitched rooflights offer an increased surface area, better orientation, and great light diffusion as opposed to traditional windows
- Flat rooflights come with the same feature and they also increase energy efficiency
Importance of Natural Light in a Living Space
There is no need to stress that natural light has a great deal of benefits for a living space. Here are some of them:
Enhances mood
Light is a major factor in boosting your energy levels and mood respectively. This is because it increases serotonin production, which is a hormone responsible for regulating the mood.
Improves sleep. When you are exposed to lots of natural light during the day, this can help set your body’s internal clock right. Also called circadian rhythm, this regulates your wake and sleep cycles.
Boosts productivity
One of the reasons workplaces focus on delivering plenty of natural light is that it can enhance concentration and help with productivity. It also reduces eye strain, which also minimises headaches. So, more light equals less discomfort.
Saves energy
Having natural light galore means you can reduce your carbon footprint and also get lower energy bills. After all, natural light is free.
Enhances visual appeal
Natural light can make any living space appear larger than it is. It can highlight colours and textures, giving your home a visual appeal.
Everybody enjoys being in a place with lots of natural light rather than artificial lighting. When there is not enough natural light, this affects the hormones in the body and can lead to health problems like depression and anxiety, among others.
How Do Pitched Rooflights Let More Natural Light into a Room?
Since pitched roof windows are specifically designed to provide more natural sunlight into a living space, they are an effective way to ensure that your home is getting the amount of light you want. Here is how pitched window designs achieve that.
Increased surface area
Because they are generally larger than regular windows, there is more glass, and therefore more opportunity for light to enter the premises.
Orientation
As you know, pitched roof windows are designed for roofs, which is a strategic place. Due to the angle and path of the sunlight during the day, rooflights offer more light than their traditional counterparts and for a longer period of time.
Light diffusion
Pitched roof skylights also distribute the lights better throughout the room as they are made with special coatings and materials that diffuse light such as frosted glass. Thanks to this, glare and harsh shadows are reduced.
Ventilation
While ventilation has nothing to do with light, it’s still important to mention it. It serves to regulate humidity levels and temperature, which adds to a healthy and comfortable living environment.
How Do Flat Roof Windows Add More Natural Light?
And now, let’s go through how flat roof skylights bring natural light into a room. They are pretty similar to the previous one.
Increased surface area
As already mentioned skylights have a larger surface overall, which is no surprise why they let more natural sunlight in.
Strategic placement
Aside from the fact that they are installed on roofs, flat rooflights can be placed in strategic locations so they can allow even more light to enter the property. For instance, they can be mounted in such a way that they make the most of reflected light from adjacent buildings. Or they can be made to face the sun directly.
Light tunnels
Light tunnels are a great option for smaller roofs. They still offer a good amount of light into the room and do better than traditional windows in the light department. If you don’t have direct access to the roof because of the location of your flat, you can use a light tunnel to get more sunlight.
Light diffusion
Similar to pitched rooflights, flat skylights can also be fabricated with coatings and materials that diffuse light. Again, what this does is distribute the light more evenly throughout the room, as well as reduce glare and shadows.
Energy efficiency
If a rooflight is made from quality materials and installed in the right places, it can improve the energy efficiency of your home. It seems counterintuitive since they can let heat escape. But if everything is done right, it’s quite the opposite actually. So, flat skylights can reduce the costs associated with cooling and heating. This works to your advantage if you live in a place with extreme temperatures.
Comparison Between Pitched and Flat Roof Windows for Natural Light
The main difference between pitched and flat roof skylights is the type of roof they are installed on. The names say it all – pitched roof windows are designated for sloped roofs with an angle between 15° and 90° and flat windows fit flat roof ceilings.
Given the sloping factor, you should know that flat rooflights offer more privacy than pitched rooflights. They also provide high resistance to hurricane winds and are less expensive. Lastly, there is a reduced external partition which leads to a decrease in heat loss.
Pitched skylights take longer to install and they may be more suitable for lofts where more light is needed.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, natural light plays a crucial role in enhancing the comfort and aesthetic appeal of any living space while also positively impacting your mood, productivity, and energy bills. Installing a rooflight is a smart solution to increase the amount of natural light in your home.
Whether you choose pitched or flat skylights, both options have the potential to flood your home with natural light if utilized effectively. To make an informed decision on which option is best for your home, it is important to understand the differences between the two.
To learn more about our range of skylights and how they can benefit your home, please contact HiSky LTD at Unit 3F, ManorWay Business Park, Swanscombe DA10 0LL, United Kingdom, or give us a call at +44 7714 991494.
