Skylights are more than just holes in the roof that provide light. All sorts of features make them more functional and help them better integrate into a home's décor.
Add-ons to the popular tubular skylights can cut down on the number of ceiling fixtures. Most brands can include a light kit for nighttime illumination, while Solatube offers a kit to hook up a ventilation fan. In this setup, you can have only one fixture instead of three.
Diffusers that attach to the ceiling end of the tube look like recessed light fixtures. They often come in frosted or prismatic styles for a traditional look. Solatube's industrial style provides a modern look. You also can paint or stain the diffuser frame to match your décor.
A roof flashing, the usually metal piece that connects the dome to the roof, can be painted to match roof colors for a less conspicuous look. Some tubular skylights offer a dimmer that lets you control the amount of sunlight coming into the home.
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These skylights can be used as accent lighting in a large room, says Heather Wright, co-owner of Highlight Enterprises Inc.
"Someone had a parrot who didn't know when to sleep" because its cage was in a dark corner, Wright says. "She put the skylight over the parrot area," so when it got dark, the parrot went to sleep.
Traditional skylights also come with many features. Electric switches open operable skylights more easily, compared with using a pole. Some close automatically when it rains.
Skylights are available in different frame colors. Glass and acrylic covers can come in a variety of tints or opaqueness. They can lie flat or as a dome. Some companies offer custom shapes such as pyramids, octagons and triangles.
Velux can incorporate into the skylight cellular blinds, rolling shades or Venetian blinds that operate by switch or remote control, installer Brent Olson says.
Extra features and building materials that improve energy efficiency have changed the skylight, says Ron Hess, president of the Window Depot.
"The skylight business keeps evolving into high-end stuff instead of the low end," he says.
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Tubular skylights use a reflective tube to bring light into a space. Traditional skylights work like windows in the roof.
The design of a tubular skylight nearly eliminates heat and ultraviolet rays that cause fading.
In traditional skylights, double-glass panes, low-emissivity coating and other new materials block much more heat and damaging sun rays than ever before.
The most energy-efficient of both types can qualify for federal and state tax credits as energy-saving appliances. Tubular skylights are easier to install than traditional skylights, which require the building of interior shafts.
Highlight Enterprises can install a small Solatube starting at $449.
Brent Olson, owner of Desert Skylights, says a simple installation of a small, traditional skylight can start at around $525.