Skylight Spotlight

Skylights are an architectural gift but can be a window covering nightmare. All of that beautiful light pouring in can really help warm your home in the winter but can be a real challenge when trying to keep it cool in the summer. While you can cover your skylights with just about anything, there are a few things you must keep in mind when making your decision.

You’ll always want to leave a few inches of space between the chosen treatment and the skylight glass and always remember to keep it properly vented. When your window treatment is in a fully closed position, heat will build-up under the glass and in extreme situations can cause the skylight’s seal to break or it’s glass to crack… A good rule of thumb is to open your window treatment as you leave the room. Off go the lights and open come the shades.

There are certainly a few products which are best suited in a skylight application. Shutters are a good choice as you can leave the blades tilted slightly open to allow the heat to escape. Cellular and pleated shades are also good choices and will filter the light. As seen above, you can even match the roller shade fabric used on the other windows in the room, to complete your skylight unit. All of these choices will help raise the R-Value providing you with some substantial energy savings. But regardless of your choice, you may seriously want to consider motorizing your window treatments. Solar panels are the way to go. Why not take advantage of your skylight to power its dressing? A great way to ensure you won’t be climbing a ladder every year to change batteries!

Lastly, as always, don’t be afraid to use colour! We live in a world of white walls and white window coverings. Express yourself and take a chance! Fall in love with fabric and throw it to your windows. You won’t regret it!