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It’s always a good idea to consider the benefits and drawbacks of any home improvement project before you take the plunge, and that includes skylight installation. While the vast majority of people who have one installed wind up loving their new skylight, a small number end up regretting their decision.
To help you make the right choice, we’ll share some of the pros and cons that skylights present below.
The Benefits of Skylights for South Carolina Homes
There are a number of benefits skylights provide, including some that are quite obvious and others that many homeowners don’t expect.
Natural Light
A few things will make your home’s interior look better than additional natural light. And because skylights allow natural light to enter your home from above, they often provide more supplemental light than comparably sized windows installed in your home’s walls.
Aesthetic Improvements
In addition to the way skylights will help make your entire interior space more attractive by bathing everything in natural light, they will also add architectural interest and charm to your home. They help to create visual interest, draw the eye, and make your home feel unique.
Reduced Energy Bills
The sunlight that skylights allow into your home helps to warm your home during cool winter days, giving you the chance to turn your thermostat down a bit. And conversely, skylights — particularly vented models — allow your home to more effectively radiate heat during hot summer nights, providing similar savings.
Improved Ventilation
Some skylights can be opened (either manually or with the help of motorized controls) to provide greater airflow through your home. This not only helps reduce interior odors and keep your home smelling fresh, but it can also reduce your need to turn on the AC during late spring and early summer.
Increased Property Value
All of the benefits discussed above help to provide a second-order benefit: increased property value. Not only will buyers be more likely to find your home aesthetically pleasing, but they’ll also appreciate the cost-saving benefits skylights provide. This means you’ll often be able to increase your asking price when it comes time to sell.
The Drawbacks of Skylights for South Carolina Homes
While skylights are generally a valuable home improvement project, they do present a few potential downsides, which highlights the importance of considering these projects carefully.
Initial Investment
Skylights may increase your property value and provide a number of benefits you can enjoy right now, but they do require a significant initial investment. However, many leading installation teams offer flexible financing to help spread these costs out over time.
Potential Leaks
Though professional installation and high-quality materials will usually prevent leaks, they are always a possibility following skylight installation. This is yet another reason to choose a reputable contractor who’ll not only install the window correctly but also stand behind his or her work.
Heat Transfer
While skylights certainly provide energy-saving benefits by allowing your house to shed more heat during summer nights and allowing the sun to warm your home more efficiently in the winter, the opposite is also true. You’ll lose heat during winter nights, and your house may heat up during sunny summer days.
Glare or UV Damage
Some skylights can create bothersome glares, though careful and deliberate placement can help avoid this issue. Additionally, furniture, rugs, and floors beneath uncoated skylights can suffer from fading, though UV-blocking films can eliminate this problem.
Maintenance Requirements
While skylights are generally low-maintenance windows, you will need to carry out some basic maintenance to prevent dust or dirt from collecting on the glass. Additionally, you’ll need to inspect the skylight regularly and watch for signs of damage or wear, which may cause leaks to develop.
Having a Skylight Installed in Your South Carolina Home: Tips & Tricks
If, after reviewing the pros and cons outlined above, you decide that a skylight would be a great addition to your home, you’ll want to make sure the process unfolds smoothly and you get the kind of high-quality skylight you deserve. The following tips and tricks can help make that a reality:
- Work with a high-quality contractor. Before worrying about anything else, you’ll want to find a reputable team of communicative skylight professionals, answer all of your questions, and be backed by positive reviews on places like Google, Facebook, and Angi.
- Choose the best type of skylight for your needs. Skylights come in a variety of styles to suit different situations. For example, fixed windows are often the best for cost-conscious homeowners, while ventilating skylights are ideal for homeowners seeking more airflow.
- Consider the skylight’s placement carefully. While there are cases in which the location is pretty locked in (such as when adding a skylight above a stairway or bathtub), there are situations when you have some flexibility. In these scenarios, you’ll want to discuss placement with your skylight installation professional.
- Schedule the installation for the ideal time of year. While you can install a skylight anytime that the weather allows, fall is generally considered the ideal time, thanks to the moderate temperatures and relatively dry air. However, early summer can also work well.
- Combine skylight installation with roof repairs, if needed. This isn’t an issue for all homeowners, but if you suspect that your roof may need repairs (or you’re in need of a full replacement), you may save some money by completing both projects at the same time.
In addition to these things, be sure that you inspect your skylight regularly following installation. When you partner with a reputable installation team and choose a high-quality skylight, you’re unlikely to run into any problems. But by monitoring your new skylight frequently, you’ll be able to identify and address any minor issues that pop up before they turn into big problems.
Skylights for South Carolina Homes: FAQ
Have more questions about the pros and cons of skylights? Want to learn more about skylights in general? We’ve rounded up a few of the most common questions our customers have and answered them below.
What is the average cost to have a skylight installed?
The costs of skylight installation vary pretty significantly, based on the size and type of skylight installed, the specifics of your home and roof, and your location. But generally speaking, basic, fixed units cost between $1,000 and $4,000, while premium skylights and complex installations may cause that figure to climb into the $5,000 to $10,000 range.
Is it cheaper to put in a window or a skylight?
Skylight installation is typically slightly more expensive than window installation, but skylights often produce a greater increase in home value.
Do skylights add value to a house?
Yes, skylights tend to increase home value, provided that they’re properly installed and match the aesthetics of the rest of the house.
Who typically installs skylights?
Roofing contractors — like the pros at Willow Ash Roofing — typically install skylights.
Do all skylights eventually leak?
No — at least not in any meaningful timeframe. If you left a skylight in place for hundreds of years, the materials would start to break down, but so would the rest of your roof.
What is the most typical skylight problem?
Even though leaks aren’t common with professionally installed skylights, they are likely to occur more frequently than any other kind of problem.
Do skylights attract bugs?
In some cases, bugs can congregate in the area outside of a skylight, but this rarely causes a problem, as fixed skylights won’t allow the bugs into your home, and ventilated skylights come equipped with bug screens.
Willow Ash Roofing: South Carolina’s Skylight Experts
Whether you’ve already decided that a skylight will work well for your home and family and want to get the ball rolling, or you are still on the fence and need some questions answered, the skylight installation pros at Willow Ash Roofing can help.
We’ll be happy to schedule an on-site evaluation, provide you with a free estimate, and answer any questions you may have. Then, if you decide to move forward, we’ll get you on our calendar and start preparing for your project.
We’ve been providing unmatched roofing, storm damage repair, and skylight installation services for homeowners in Johns Island, Goose Creek, Wando, and the rest of the Greater Charleston Area since 2002, and we’d love for you to see the Willow Ash Roofing difference yourself. Contact us today to get started!
Sources & References
- U.S. Department of Energy – “Skylights”
This resource evaluates the energy efficiency, thermal performance, and strategic placement of various skylight designs to optimize natural lighting and ventilation in residential buildings.
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/skylights - Angi – “How to Hire a Skylight Installation Pro”
This guide provides a comprehensive framework for vetting contractors, verifying credentials, and evaluating project quotes to ensure a structurally sound and leak-proof skylight installation.
https://www.angi.com/articles/how-to-hire-skylight-installation-pro.htm - Family Handyman – “How to Choose the Right Skylight Shades for Your Home”
This article identifies the functional differences between cellular, pleated, and motorized shading systems to help homeowners manage solar heat gain and privacy.
https://www.familyhandyman.com/article/how-to-choose-the-right-skylight-shades-for-your-home/
