Want a Skylight That Opens? Check Out These 5 Options

Skylights add more light to your home, but if you opt for opening skylights, you can vent your house as well as letting in more lights. There are numerous design options you may want to consider. Take a look at these ideas:

1. Large Retracting Roof

Rather than just doing a few windows, consider going for a dramatic effect and choosing a large retracting roof. This costs significantly more than just putting in skylights that open, but if you have an indoor space that you want to be able to completely open to the sky, this is a great option to consider.

Basically, this consists of glazed pieces of glass between roof trusses, and it's all on a track so that the whole roof can be opened.

2. Roof Windows

Do you have a room where part of the walls are made up by the roof line? If so, consider putting roof windows in those spaces. In these cases, it's usually better to work with a skylight installer rather than a window installer, as the skylight installer has experience putting openings into tiled roofs.

3. Range of Opening Styles

Whether you're going for roof windows or traditional skylights, you can choose from a range of opening styles. These skylights can open from a hinge on the long or short end of the window.

Alternatively, you can opt for a design that features two window sections that open completely. One opens from the top of the window, while the other opens from the bottom of the window. When closed, these "flaps" meet in the middle of the window. Depending on the location of the skylight windows, you can play with all kinds of positions for these opening flaps.

4. Remote Control

When it comes to attic windows that are relatively close to the floor, they are easy to open. However, if you have a skylight attached to a high ceiling, you won't easily be able to reach opening mechanisms on that window. To make it easier, you may want opening skylights that work on a remote control.

5. Vented Skytubes

For small dark areas such as closets, you may want to put in skytubes. This consists of a tube that stretches from the ceiling of that room to the nearest patch of roof. That brings light into that space. In most cases, these types of skylights don't open, but you can get vented ones instead.