Having as much natural lighting as possible in a home is always a preferred choice but, what if your house is older? Very often older homes were not designed to incorporate a lot of natural light so, if you are looking to naturally illuminate it, what are your options? In this blog, we will consider some alternatives to traditional windows.
Skylights may be the first option that springs to mind. Skylights are a very good way to bring a ton of natural light into a room. When installing this type of window, however, be sure to select double-paned windows and have the flashing done professionally, otherwise, you may end up with unwanted leaks.
If you want a window that provides a lot of natural light but that won’t overheat the home during the summer months then Clerestory windows may be a good option for you. This type of window is wide and short in design and usually installed high on the wall. This design means that the roof's overhang does not allow the sun to heat up the room in the summer months. An added advantage is that due to the sun's lower position during winter, a clerestory window will allow heat to come in during the colder months.
Another natural lighting method you may not have thought of is light tubes. The tubes themselves are coated with a highly reflective material, as the light goes through the tubes, a diffuser helps to evenly distribute the light in the room. Light tubes are also fitted with a lens designed to boost low-level light but at the same time reduce the intensity of the sun at midday.
So, if you are looking to add natural light to your home, why not think about these alternatives to a traditional window?
Skylights may be the first option that springs to mind. Skylights are a very good way to bring a ton of natural light into a room. When installing this type of window, however, be sure to select double-paned windows and have the flashing done professionally, otherwise, you may end up with unwanted leaks.
If you want a window that provides a lot of natural light but that won’t overheat the home during the summer months then Clerestory windows may be a good option for you. This type of window is wide and short in design and usually installed high on the wall. This design means that the roof's overhang does not allow the sun to heat up the room in the summer months. An added advantage is that due to the sun's lower position during winter, a clerestory window will allow heat to come in during the colder months.
Another natural lighting method you may not have thought of is light tubes. The tubes themselves are coated with a highly reflective material, as the light goes through the tubes, a diffuser helps to evenly distribute the light in the room. Light tubes are also fitted with a lens designed to boost low-level light but at the same time reduce the intensity of the sun at midday.
So, if you are looking to add natural light to your home, why not think about these alternatives to a traditional window?
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