A crucial aspect of a home's architecture is how it allows daylight to flow inside and spread from room to room — brighter spaces feel more spacious and welcoming. Vertical windows are one option for letting light in, but skylights provide another alternative, with added benefits. Read on to discover what these are.

No Need To Sacrifice Privacy For Light

With a skylight, you typically won't need to sacrifice privacy for light. A view up to the sky will usually be safe, only allowing birds flying overhead to have a birds-eye view. Vertical windows, however, open up to the street, neighbours and other public spaces which can limit your privacy and peace of mind. 

Even during the evening, a skylight allows for an open view. With a vertical window, you might not feel safe having curtains or blinds open even when facing a backyard — you don't know for sure that no one is watching. But a skylight might look out on a beautiful star-filled night sky. You can feel safer that no outsiders have a view, assuming the opening doesn't face an adjacent highrise building or tall apartment block.

Architectural Freedom

Skylight windows allow for architectural freedom whether you're planning a new home, extensions or renovation. They mean that not every room in a home needs to have an external wall and have a vertical window. A design might feature a bathroom or powder room, for example, in the centre of the home. A skylight allows daylight to flow into these spaces. Or else, in open-plan designs, a central living area can benefit from additional top light to emphasise a feeling of spaciousness and openness.

Energy Efficiency

You can use the same energy-efficient glazing that you might on a vertical window for a skylight, helping you to cut your air conditioning and heating bills. Double-glazed units restrict the amount of warmth that can transmit through the glass. Thus in summer, these units filter the heat that enters via the sun. In winter, double-glazing hinders warm inside air from escaping. Low-e glass also works to prevent the transmission of heat through a skylight. With such options, you'll benefit from extra illumination while maintaining energy efficiency. Additionally, diffusing options are also available to scatter and soften incoming daylight for a more pleasant indoor experience. 

Allowing extra top light to flow inside, skylights can alter the ambience of your home while maintaining privacy and energy efficiency. Plus, you can plan and design your home's layout without being bound by the need that every room abuts a vertical wall. For more information about skylights, contact a roofer in your area.