Brownstone Skylights
We’re considering putting in skylights on the top floor of our brownstone (built in 1851). We already have one in a bathroom upstairs and love it. My only hesitation is the additional amount of heat it might generate, as it already gets very hot on the top floor (we do have air conditioning to blast…
We’re considering putting in skylights on the top floor of our brownstone (built in 1851). We already have one in a bathroom upstairs and love it. My only hesitation is the additional amount of heat it might generate, as it already gets very hot on the top floor (we do have air conditioning to blast if we need to, but we try not to overuse it). Does anyone have experience / advice around this? I believe they have shades and tinted skylights. Would that make a noticeable difference? The skylight in the bathroom is not tinted or shaded and it can get quite hot in there.
I also prefer not to cut through any of the beams in the roof, so we’re going to work around that and we’ll also have an electrician helping to ensure the installers don’t mess up the wiring.
Are there any other issues around doing this work? It seems to me that often these days when people do renos (and in new construction), skylights are added.
Any insight is much appreciated.
“I know this is OT but CGAR look at . . .”
smeyer, thanks much! I’m tired of being mosquito bait.
(Sorry to horn in on your Forum post, Biff.)
I replaced a nasty (between the joists) skylight with two new square velux skylights. Please don’t think you have to stay within the existing roof framing – you will be sorry if you do. I canted the skylights to the north – the roof slopes to the south. There is a small amount of direct sunlight but mostly it’s just nice and bright. Had they faced south – it would have been a hot house. I defintely recommend screens, a remote control if they are up high, and the rain sensor.
On the other hand, if you’ve got electricity nearby wiring them up is a nice convenience. They come with a remote and a rain sensor to close it automatically. I can’t tell you the number of times we’re out to dinner and asking each other whether we closed the skylights as it starts to rain or clouds gather. On the other hand they are significantly more expensive (both the skylight and installation).
biff, I don’t see the point of opening up walls to do electric. They give you a pole with a hook. I’ve been experimenting with how much to open the skylight in the heat. Seems like just a crack is best.
I know this is OT but CGAR look at
http://www.bugoffscreen.com
I use this for our back yard and it pretty much cuts all bugs out.
After you find the size you want you can buy the same screen at ebay for about 20% less including shipping…
Thanks Denton. Yours look great and exactly the kind I’m looking at. It also seems you shied away from the electronic kinds and went with the crank, which is what I’m leaning towards. Any particular reason you didn’t go electronic? And do you find the tinting keeps out most of the heat?
Biff, in the future please read my reno blogs for the answer to all your questions. Thank you.
I just put one in. Get one that opens, you can control the amount of heat that leaves.
http://www.pbase.com/dentontay/skylight
Also the new films are barely tinted. Check out the Velux website.
wise old rebbe once told me, if HaShem meant brownstones to have lots of natural light, he would have built them with side windows.
“I guess it’s necessary to keep out bugs and other pests”
Yes, screens are a must I. I open my garden door for CDog a lot, and there’s no screen, and I feel like I’m living in the Amazon with all the bugs that get in in only a few minutes.