There are a lot of tall tales told when it comes to rooflights. And a lot of people are put off bringing extra daylight into their homes because they believe these myths. So, where do these stories come from? Well, they come from people’s actual experiences. “How can they be myths then?” we hear you ask. It’s because these experiences are based on using rooflights that don’t meet industry standards. Our friends at NARM receive many complaints from homeowners using these products and we’d like to help them in their efforts to set the record straight. Here are our top seven rooflight myths and the truth behind them:
1. Rooflights always leak eventually
Rooflights that are improperly fitted, with the glazing unit just dropped into a hole in the roof and then sealed with silicone will leak after a time. That’s why good rooflights come with something called an upstand, a clever bit of kit that raises the rooflight slightly above the level of the roof, provides weather-proofing and ensures that rain runs off the rooflight and away from where it joins into your home.
2. Rooflights make your home hot in summer and cold in winter
Again, with a poor quality rooflight, not planned and installed with care this may be the case. But a good rooflight with great insulation to keep in heat and glazing that allows in the warmth from the sun will actually keep your home warmer in winter. For the summer months, you can opt to open your rooflight and with hot air rising it will help to cool your room. When combined with opening a facade window, it creates a great throughout of air that will cool any room in minutes. Opting for a rooflight that doesn’t open? Adding Sun Protection to the pane of the rooflight will reflect approximately up to 40-50% of the heat gain, maintain a pleasant temperature and protect your furniture.
3. Rooflights are dangerous
One of the big concerns for many people is around what should happen if a rooflight should break causing someone above to fall through it or someone underneath to be injured by falling glass. A rooflight that meets industry best practice standards should use laminated glass panes of adequate thickness to avoid this happening. Don’t be fooled by the term “toughened glass” which sounds safe but can still shatter and cause injury.
4. Rooflights need cleaning all the time
You may have seen horror story pictures of rooflights covered in dirt and plant life, but in reality, this shouldn’t be an issue. A rooflight with a good upstand, properly installed, should only need cleaning a couple of times a year as they are installed at an angle so water doesn’t pool on the glass causing deposits from the rain to remain as it evaporates and algae to grow in the moist conditions.
5. Rooflights let in polluted air
It is a common misconception that the air outside is more polluted than indoors. This is simply not the case; indoor air quality can be up to 10 times worse than outdoor air pollution. A rooflight will actually make the air in your home healthier by assisting with adequate ventilation. Opening a room in multiple places, for example a rooflight and a facade window, is the best combination for achieving great ventilation of your indoor spaces.
6. Rooflights increase the chance of being broken into
There can be a concern that another access point to a home presents another security risk, but this need not be the case. Most rooflight companies have designed their rooflights to be secured against burglary. What is more, the rooflights have laminated inner panes and have either an internal locking mechanism or directional screws on the outside to make it hard for anyone to break in.
7. Bespoke rooflights are harder to install than standard ones
Some people worry that a bespoke rooflight will be more complicated to install than a standard one, adding time and cost to their building or renovation projects. This is actually incorrect as the installation procedures are either exactly or virtually identical depending on what is chosen. Standard or bespoke rooflights are simple to install and usually take under a day to go from the first cut into the roof to a fully installed product.
We hope we’ve set your mind at rest, so you can enjoy the benefits of the beautiful daylight a rooflight can bring into your home. If you have any questions, feel free to book a free consultation with us.
