If you love the look and feel of natural light in your home, then you may have considered adding a skylight to your roof. A skylight is essentially an opening in your roof covered with glass or plastic to allow light inside. The natural light that a skylight offers is unbeatable, and can brighten up any space and truly transform your home.
Creating an opening in your roof may seem like a big undertaking, leaving many homeowners asking themselves, is adding a skylight worth it? From increasing your home’s value to aesthetic appeal, there are many benefits to installing a skylight. In this article, we discuss 6 things you need to know when it comes to skylights in order to make an informed decision.
Table of Contents
– Will my Skylight Stay Leak-Free?
– When Should I Replace my Skylight?
– Skylight Installation
– Federal Solar Tax Credit
– Aesthetic Appeal
– Increasing Home Value
– Is Adding a Skylight Worth It?
Will my Skylight Stay Leak-Free?
There’s a common misconception out there that if you install a skylight, it’s going to leak. This is one of the main reasons homeowners ask themselves, is adding a skylight worth it? While skylights have been known to leak, the main reason for this is contractors failing to follow the installation instructions.
As long as you’re working with a reputable contractor, they will follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions. When a skylight is installed properly, it won’t leak for as long as the materials hold up, which could be up to 20 years. You’ll know your skylight was installed properly if it makes it through the first rain without leaking. If it doesn’t, then your installer did not follow the manufacturer instructions.
Now that you know that a properly installed skylight will stay leak-free as long as the materials hold up, you may be wondering how long said materials will last. Well, one of the top brands as far as skylight manufacturers goes is VELUX, and when you purchase a skylight through them, it comes with a 10-Year No Leak Warranty. When properly installed, it should easily surpass the 10-year warranty, and stay leak-free for up to 20 years, or until the materials fail.
When Should I Replace my Skylight?
A common question we get asked is, “when should I replace my skylight?” Knowing when to replace your skylight can save you from a major headache, and potentially an expensive leak, down the road. A skylight’s lifespan is about 20 years, because at around the 20 year mark, material failure can be expected.
If you have aging skylights and are in the market for a roof replacement, we highly recommend replacing both the roof and the skylights at the same time, even if they aren’t leaking yet. With that being said, if your skylights were installed within the past five years, then they shouldn’t need to be replaced. Keeping up with the age of your skylights is a great way to get the most out of your investment.
It’s important to reiterate that your skylight should stay leak-free for decades as long as it’s properly installed. If your newly installed skylight is leaking, then it was more than likely not installed properly, which may cause it to need to be replaced prematurely. So, is adding a skylight worth it? With proper installation, a 20-year lifespan, and replacing them when it’s time – we’d sure say so!
Skylight Installation
As you may now see, when wondering if adding a skylight is worth it, a big part of that boils down to the installation process. Working with a vetted, reputable, and experienced contractor ensures that the skylight was installed following the manufacturer’s instructions. This is the best way to make sure your skylight stays leak-free, and that it makes it to the end of its lifespan.
Federal Solar Tax Credit
If you’ve read our recent blog, “Are Solar Panels Really Worth It? [Pros and Cons of Going Solar in 2023],” then you’re probably familiar with the Federal Solar Tax Credit. This tax credit allows eligible homeowners to deduct a percentage of the cost of installing a solar energy system from their federal income taxes.
This credit also applies to skylights that are solar powered! So, if you’re interested in going solar, this is an important thing to consider when asking yourself, “is adding a skylight worth it?”
Aesthetic Appeal
Is adding a skylight worth it? When it comes to aesthetic appeal, the answer is a definitive, yes! Adding natural light is a great way to make any room feel more open, and to add light to smaller rooms or rooms with poor lighting. Not only that, skylights have a tendency to make a room feel bigger and more spacious than it is, similar to adding a mirror to the wall.
Another fun feature of adding a skylight is the amazing views! Nothing beats looking out of your skylight and seeing the beautiful nature that surrounds you, or maybe looking up at the night sky before bed and counting the stars. Even further, natural light has been known to improve your mood, focus, and even boost your energy and immune system!
Increasing Home Value
Is adding a skylight worth it from a financial standpoint? Skylights are considered a cosmetic feature, and can definitely be a focal point that attracts buyers. Cosmetic changes like this to your home can also add equity, upping the resale value, especially if your skylight installation is part of your residential roofing project as a whole.
This is even more true for skylights with green technologies. Not only does this help to minimize your carbon footprint, and can even save you money on your electric bill, but will truly impress potential buyers who are environmentally aware. In fact, the resale value of a home with environmentally-friendly features can be as much as 10% higher than that of a traditional home of the same size.
Is Adding a Skylight Worth It?
So, is adding a skylight worth it? When you consider its longevity when working with an expert installer, the money saving opportunities from the Federal Solar Tax Credit, to increasing your home value and lowering your electric bills, as well as the overall aesthetic appeal – it’s a no brainer! Especially when adding skylights to your roof replacement, it’s an easy installation process that’s sure to brighten up any space.
Elite Exteriors is the Southeast’s premier residential and commercial resource for unparalleled service, superior craftsmanship and incomparable quality, and it’s all backed by an unprecedented lifetime labor and materials warranty! Give us a call at 470-350-3024 to see how we can help with your skylight installation, roof replacement, or any other roofing needs you may have. Elite Exteriors offers a NO-COST initial consultation and inspection, and for more information, fill out our online contact form.