Roof lights are the perfect way to transform your home without having to invest time and money into a large-scale project.
If your home has flat roofs, certain types of roof lights can be installed efficiently and safely for a sleek appearance. Today, TuffX will help you choose the right roof light for your flat roof.
Infuse natural lighting into your home today with our highly durable glass roof lights. Not only will your home appear brighter and more open, but it’s the perfect way to cut down on your energy bills.
Understanding Your Needs
When choosing the perfect roof light for your home, it’s important to consider the area where it’s being installed.
Opening roof lights could benefit kitchens and bathrooms by offering enhanced ventilation. For living rooms or studios, you may want to focus on maximising daylight to brighten the space.
If you’re installing a roof light in a bathroom, frosted or patterned glass can maintain privacy whilst uplifting the room. South-facing rooms may require roof lights with solar control coatings to prevent overheating, whereas North-facing rooms will require larger or strategically placed rooflights to increase sunlight.
Types of Roof lights for Flat Roofs
Various roof lights can be installed on flat roofs to increase the efficiency and appearance of your home.
This includes:
- Fixed Flat Roof lights: These non-opening windows provide a perfect view of the sky and enhance natural light in the home. This is ideal for hallways and living rooms.
- Opening Roof lights: Opening roof lights are equipped with manual or electric mechanisms, allowing fresh air into the home. These are popular in kitchens and bathrooms.
- Walk-on Roof lights: Walk-on roof lights are designed to be safely walked upon and are often placed on roof terraces or outdoor areas.
- Roof Lanterns: Roof lanterns are raised dome-like windows placed on the roof of your home. These are popular for their architectural beauty and are ideal for conservatories or open-plan rooms.
Choosing the Size of Your Roof light
As a general guideline, roof lights should be around 15-20% of the size of the floor in rooms that are already well-lit.
For an optimal balance of light in darker rooms, they should cover 20-25% of the ceiling. If the ceilings in your home are particularly high, consider a larger roof lantern for widespread coverage.
This will reduce shadow, distributing light evenly throughout the space. Depending on the style of your home, large roof lights can enhance the contemporary feel of a modern space, whilst traditional homes might suit smaller, more classical designs.
Material and Glass Options
The choice of materials plays a large impact on the functionality, longevity, and visual appeal of your flat roof roof light.
Toughened glass is a popular choice for roof lights. Known for its strength and durability, this provides protection against harsh weather conditions, heavy force, and breakage.
Laminate glass is another popular option due to its UV protection and durability. When shattered, the glass breaks into smaller pieces rather than larger shards to prevent injury.
Aluminium is ideal for the frame, especially for larger panes of glass. This creates a slim profile for a minimalistic and durable structure. For a cost-effective solution, PVC provides excellent thermal insulation and is available in a range of colours and finishes.
Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
Installing a larger roof light may increase heat absorption during summer and elevate heat escape in winter. This influences both the room’s thermal comfort and energy consumption in the home.
Look for high-performance glazing options to mitigate these effects. For greater thermal efficiency, opt for roof lights with lower U values. Double or triple glazing can also enhance a roof lights ability to trap heat.
Installing roof lights can significantly reduce your carbon footprint by decreasing the need for artificial lighting, heating, and air conditioning. For a more sustainable choice, opt for roof lights made from recyclable materials such as aluminium.
Invest in High-Quality Roof lights with TuffX
At TuffX, we believe that every home deserves to feel welcoming, spacious, and energy efficient.
That is why we sell high-performance roof lights to increase the visual appeal and function of your home. With a wide variety of roof lights available, there’s something for every home and interior style.
Browse our roof lights today to contribute to a greener planet and happier home.