Reimagine Winter with Skylights

Posted by: Ken Mariotti

HGTV 2015 Smart Home

The success of HGTV is that it stretches our imaginations. For years now HGTV sponsors a contest and selects one home that best represents the design and building trends for the year. This year’s 2015 Smart Home features a modern farmhouse in the very hip Austin, Texas. It’s “modern” in that it’s a fresh take on the classic traditional farmhouse style. The architect’s use of skylights to reimagine the space caught my attention as we slip into the annual winter darkness.

In the last decade, builders installed recessed lighting in ceilings in an attempt to brighten the dark corners of a home. Now with technological advances like solar power, built in shades, and always clean “Neat®” coated glass, VELUX® skylights are replacing artificial lighting with natural lighting.

As the winter turns the skies darker, windows barely capture light depending on the time of day, whereas skylights provide balanced daylight that fills even remote corners of a room.

Natural light bath

2015 Smart Home Children's Bath Skylights

How common is it to see windowless interior bathrooms in homes? Take a look at the Solar Powered Fresh Air Skylight by VELUX in the HGTV’s Modern Farmhouse children’s bath. These solar operated skylights don’t require wiring, which is a real advantage over the traditional manual or electric models. Small bath ventilation can be a real challenge, especially in winter and this remote controlled skylight can easily be opened to release unwanted condensation.

Master bedroom privacy

Today’s homes are built closer together than ever before, making privacy a key concern for homeowners.  Likewise, homes are shrinking, leaving less wall space for windows. The use of skylights in the HGTV’s Modern Farmhouse incorporates new shade technologies that keep out the light for better sleep and keep the bedroom private. The factory installed blinds operate by remote control to easily open and close the blinds to keep out light. You can also program the control to draw the shades during the heat of the day to keep the room cool or to open the skylights to manage temperatures throughout the day.

2015 Smart Home Master Bedroom Skylights

Powered by the sun

The skylight uses the power of the sun to open and close. A small solar panel resides on the exterior of the skylight to capture available daylight and charge a small, concealed battery. Even on cloudy days, the solar panel will continue to charge. If your skylight is open and it begins to rain – the rain sensor will automatically close your skylight.

Sensor control

VELUX KLR 200 Intelligent Touch Remote Control for skylights and blinds - comes standard with every electric and solar powered skylight. You can open or close your skylights at your convenience. Or program them to open and close during scheduled times of the day to refresh or protect your home.

Velux Remote Control

Installation

Woodland installs skylights using a variety of different installation methods that vary based on your particular home’s location. Depending on your needs VELUX offers products that make the installation process as easy as possible. The three most common installation methods are: deck-mounted, curb-mounted and self-flashed.

Tax Credits

The revolutionary No Leak Solar Powered "Fresh Air" skylight is eligible for a 30% federal tax credit, which according to VELUX, is saving eligible homeowners an average of $850 on product and installation.

Check out the HGTV 2015 Smart Home and reimagine what winter could be by adding VELUX skylights in your home.

Lighten Up Your Winter This Year

Posted By: Ken Mariotti

After last year’s winter, the very thought that winter is coming evokes dread in most Illinoisans. Rain, snow and ice are tough, especially in record cold. Did you know that last December the average daily low temperature was 18˚F? For many people, gray skies that deprive them of natural light are the real scrooge.  In December 2013 81% of days were cloudy, including one long spell of cloudy weather lasting 11 consecutive days. Winter’s hard and it is a season when you don’t get enough light, so why not add light to your home and brighten your spirits this winter?

If you’ve dreamed of becoming a snowbird and escaping to Florida, or if you’ve imagined a brighter future for yourself living in the southern hemisphere, then you’re still rational. If you think this winter is going to be different than prior winters – we won’t mention last winter – you are becoming irrational.

If either state describes you, consider the words of the American painter, Walter Andersen, “Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action.” It’s November, you’ve got time to quiet your anxiety and take action to make a change before old man winter robs you of your cheery disposition. 

Have you ever heard the term daylighting? Daylighting refers to the practice of placing windows and reflective surfaces so that during the day natural light provides effective internal lighting. If you maximize the amount of light that enters your home, your visual comfort will increase and you’ll also reduce the use of electric lights, saving you money. So what can you do to apply the principles of daylighting in your existing home and do so before winter?  

There are multiple ways to achieve this affect, including adding windows to your home, lowering, raising, or enlarging a window, or adding skylights to light interior spaces.

Skylights or roof windows can be placed into a roof, either sloped or horizontal and are designed to provide daylighting and ventilation. Today’s skylights are made from dual pane, triple-coated with Lo-E3 dual-sealed glass providing you with energy efficiency and comfort. And Velux glass coating is designed to keep the glass clean, giving you a better view. Properly positioned skylights can be installed to avoid admitting direct sun on task surfaces or into your eyes by bouncing the light off white walls or adding appropriate climate controls to balance emitted light throughout the day. Basically, it is transmitting light where there was no light before – emitting natural light – and happiness - during those dark days of winter.

Velux skylights and roof windows can take the darkest room and brighten it while eliminating the harsh color shifts of incandescent and florescent lighting and reduce your winter electric bills. Adding skylights allows the full light spectrum or natural light to enter your room and the effect that has on you physically, emotionally and psychologically is well documented. Available in multiple designs, Velux can accommodate multiple rooflines and the flat design provides a sleek look. Depending on your needs, skylights also come as fixed with a wood frame or vented models with either a manual rod for opening and closing or a solar powered remote option. If you’re interested in factory installed blinds complete with a built in solar panel power source, you’ll be able to control the amount of light you want and may qualify for a 30% Federal tax credit.

What spaces can you improve in your home by adding more natural light, your kitchen, the breakfast nook or maybe, your favorite corner near the fireplace? Can you imagine yourself enjoying natural light brightening up any of these spaces in your home? Last December the average daily low temperature was 18ºF. Winter is just around the corner. If you don’t want to relive the winter of 2013 why not make a change, take action and check out Velux skylights and roof windows before winter arrives at your house?