Sun under the roof: select windows on the roof

Few additions compare to the charm and usefulness of roof windows when it comes to completely changing the atmosphere and functionality of your house. These distinctive ceiling apertures provide breathtaking views of the sky above in addition to allowing an abundance of natural light to stream into your rooms. Roof windows are the ideal choice whether you’re remodeling an attic area or just trying to brighten a space.

To optimize sunlight throughout the day, roof windows—also known as skylights or rooflights—are positioned strategically on the slopes of your roof. These windows are angled to capture the sun’s rays from sunrise to sunset, illuminating areas that might otherwise be dark or shadowed, in contrast to traditional windows that are set vertically in walls. This placement contributes to energy savings by enhancing natural lighting and lowering the need for artificial lighting during the day.

A number of considerations need to be made when selecting roof windows, such as your home’s orientation, the use of the area below it, and the local climate. Windows that face south are better at letting in more light during the day, which makes them perfect for spaces where you want light and warmth. On the other hand, north-facing windows give off more steady, indirect light, making them ideal for spaces that require even lighting without absorbing too much heat.

Contemporary developments in window technology provide an abundance of options beyond simple designs. These days, you have a wide range of options when it comes to materials, glazing styles, and even automated features like remote ventilation and shading control. There is a roof window style to fit every architectural style and taste, whether you like a more traditional or sleek and minimalist appearance.

Three main rules for installing windows on the roof

Installing windows on a roof differs from installing a double-glazed window frame in a finished wall opening, where the cracks can be easily filled in with slopes and dampened. This is a challenging procedure because even a tiny technological error over time can cause leaks and costly repairs. Thus, to ensure that the attic is consistently dry and bright, consider these three basic guidelines when selecting the kind of windows and where to put them.

Less – better

The hardest part of the house to fix is the roof. It should be able to endure decades of strong winds, copious amounts of rain, and hundreds of kilograms of snow caps, all while keeping the roof tight and preventing moisture from entering the roof pie. In such circumstances, any breach in the roofing’s integrity could lead to leaks, particularly in areas with big holes. A roof window is simply a very difficult-to-seal hole.

Thus, the first rule is that windows should be as small as possible. This does not imply that you should stop using natural lighting. Just carefully consider how to arrange the attic floor so that there are as few windows as possible. For instance, remove any outbuildings under the roof that don’t require sunlight, such as a pantry, a workshop, or a dressing room. Additionally, increase the size of the living rooms so that, rather than installing multiple small, standard windows on the roof of the house to light them, you can install one large panoramic window.

The attic pediment, which is set vertically in the wall, is the lone exception. If the wall is not supporting, the number of such windows can be as high as the pediment can hold, up to continuous glazing.

The project is important

It is important to plan where window openings will be placed during the design phase. If the window is not in the project, it will not be easy to install later on. There are also situations when it is just not feasible to add a window without reconstructing the entire roof. For example, a complex roof may not have a wide enough space to add a window.

Certain situations make it nearly impossible to add a window after the roof is installed, such as when the roof shape is extremely complicated.

Applies to modifications to the window’s type as well. For instance, you cannot replace the attic window in the roof with a lucaric or anti-aircraft flashlight; instead, you must alter the rafter system and determine the structure’s overall bearing capacity.

Thus, it would seem that windows should be included in the project according to the second rule. particularly if they are integrated into the roof’s slope. While windows on straightforward single-shoe, gable, and hip roofs can frequently be cut during coating installation, don’t count on it.

The easier, the more reliable

The intricately shaped roof is stunning and frequently even useful. Simply put, the greater the area on the apples’ and adjacent properties’ roofs, the greater the likelihood of leaks. Thus, simple roofs are far more dependable than complex ones with lots of mosses; typically, the first repairs are needed years later. The same is true for the windows on the roof: straightforward, built-in windows that are flush with the roofing are far more dependable than lukaren, which are typically covered by their roofs.

This brings us to our third guideline: Don’t overly complicate the roof’s design. Every lovely "cuckoo" on the roof represents more yendovs and a location where winter snow bags will gather. This in no way implies that the Lukarna window is a flawed design. Without it, the cottage might appear drab and gray, and not everyone would want such a home. Just be sure to carefully consider the risks and eliminate anything that isn’t absolutely necessary. Furthermore, since they are angled and pointed toward the sun, basic attic windows and lighting are far superior.

Types of roof windows

There are five different types of windows on the attic floor, depending on their layout and design:

• pediment;
• attic;
• Lukarns ("cuckoos");
• anti -aircraft lights;
• Light tunnels.

The light tunnel solves the issue of lighting the attic floor’s premises, even though it cannot be referred to as a window in the traditional sense. As a result, we also chose to add it to this list. And now, a detailed explanation of each kind of window.

Steel window: Simple and reliable

The simplest way to let sunlight into the attic is through the front tonneau. Like regular windows, it is installed in the wall without any extra hassles or dangers.

Regretfully, the front-ton window typically allows for some give. First, pedimental overhangs on the sides and above partially close it off. Second, the carrier wall’s strength is impacted by the tiny windows that are typically built into the pediment. As a result, the typical pedimentary window only provides a few meters of light in a given radius. This won’t light the entire attic, but it will light a small room.

Purchasing windows with double glazing and triangular frames instead of rectangular ones will boost the effectiveness of the front-ton window. Consequently, the glazing will mimic the pediment’s shape. Additionally, the pediment may be fully glazed if it is not carrying. The 20–25 m 2 adjacent room will be able to be lit by panoramic pediment windows.

Pedestal windows are necessary for ventilation as well as lighting. Consequently, this is the only kind of window that is installed, whether or not the room is covered by a roof. The attic’s front-ton window is different from the attic’s only in size, allowing for adequate ventilation of the narrow wings installed across from it.

Mansard windows: light from slopes

Installing attic windows enables you to fully light the attic, unlike pediments. Attics receive 30–50% more light than spaces with vertical windows because the sun’s rays fall on them at an angle that is much closer to the straight. For the same reason, the attic windows serve as an extra source of heating during the winter. Additionally, roller circles are placed over them in the summer to keep things from getting too hot.

Although the attic windows are built into the slopes, subject to technology, they rarely proceed. Firstly, they are mounted flush with roofing, so the accumulation of snow near the frame is excluded. Secondly, branded attic windows that can be bought in Russia are not driven by the size of the customer from components, but are made in standard sizes in large factories. There they also undergo phased quality control, so the probability of marriage is vanishly small. Thirdly, under the attic windows there are ready-made salaries for a specific type of roof, the design of which is honed with dozens of operation. For the correct and reliable sealing of the window block, you just need to follow the instructions exactly and follow the installation rules.

To ensure that the roof-mounted attic window stays leak-free for an extended period of time:

1. Choose only branded windows of leading manufacturers. For example, Velux or F’s attic windows do not agree to the windows made in local workshops. Yes, the price of such attic windows is significantly lower, as well as quality. And the saving on the roof is often very expensive then.
2. Buy ready -made salaries. Do not leave the sealing of the windows at the discretion of the masters, use ready -made sets. Preferably the same brand as the window itself.
3. Take only certified specialists to install attic windows. Their contacts are on the site of the window manufacturer or in the sales or customer support department. Such experts are directly interested in making the installation of an attic window correctly. After all, while they are doing their job well, the company will continue to send customers to them.

The attic window is a very intricate design, not just a piece of glass set into a slope, despite its apparent simplicity. Additionally, there are various kinds of attic windows based on how they open and other features.

Types of attic windows

There are four varieties of attic windows based on how they open:

1. Medium -ruble.
2. With a raised rotation axis.
3. Swearing.
4. Combined.

Most common attic windows are medium-headed. They can be rotated to any angle up to 180 degrees because they revolve around the central axis. This enables you to clean these windows from the inside on both sides. The primary disadvantage of the medium-term structure is the double-glazed window’s comparatively tiny dimensions, which are related to the highest weight that the friction loops can support.

Raised rotation windows revolve around an axis that is situated approximately ¾ of the window’s height above its center. Such a window can be more than two meters tall, but it only opens outward. Furthermore, there is no chance that you will bump into your head when opening the medium-drilling windows indoors.

Attic windows that swing: this is unique. Opening and closing them can be very inconvenient because you have to protrude nearly to your waist to grasp the handle of an open sash. However, there are circumstances in which this kind of opening is required. An attic window, for instance, can only open in that manner.

U merged the windows When the sash can be opened with support on top of the frame, there are two opening mechanisms operating simultaneously: suspended and around the central axis. Generally, suspended loops allow the sash to open by only 30 to 35 degrees. As a result, even though a combined mechanism would be convenient, a window block like this cannot be used as an emergency window loud enough to reach the roof. However, the sash at a window with a combined opening does not extend into the space, making washing it easier than with a standard medium-tire.

Apart from standard attic windows, there are window blocks with extra features.

The Service window is the most prevalent kind of window block in this category. These windows are necessary in order to access the roof for upkeep and repairs. This category also includes conventional swing structures; however, in most cases, the window loud on the roof is suspended on the upper portion of the frame rather than the side. Therefore, you can access one of the roof’s sides without having to go around the open sash.

A window block like that is useful outside of the attic as well. Given that it is difficult to ascend from the stairs to such a high roof, windows loudspeakers should be installed on at least two stories of the house.

Apart from the services, there are also locks on the windows for evacuation. Their opening and closing mechanism is streamlined. The house’s evacuation hatch-bed is situated on the roof and is made to be easily opened by a panicking person in case of a fire on the lower floors. Specifically, the Fakro emergency window has a unique pen that enables it to open with a single motion.

Balcons windows and quite popular. These windows feature two panes. About two thirds of the height is made up of the upper sash, which is suspended to the upper edge so that it opens horizontally. The side fences extend at the opening when the lower sash is rotated on the lower loops. It appears to be a sort of balcony.

Cadennial window blocks are an additional fascinating variety of attic windows. These windows are made up of two sections: a standard inclined sash that is positioned near the cornice on a slope, and a vertical sash that is recessed into the wall beneath the cornice and has an inclined portion. It emerges as a breathtaking panoramic window that is accessible from the ground up.

Main manufacturers of attic windows

Two manufacturers, Velux and Fakro, account for nearly all of the Russian attic window market.

Veluke"s attic windows are produced by the Danish company for almost 90 years. It was founded by Villum Cann Rasmussen – an inventor who came up with this type of window. Since then, Velux is the main technological innovator in the production of attic windows. For example, it was the Velux window luke that was the first to be equipped with a pneumatic spring, which fixes the sash in the open state and facilitates its opening. Velux’s attic windows also maintain heat even in extreme climatic conditions, and their reliability and durability are confirmed by decades of operation. In addition, Velux has the widest line of attic windows, which has both budget series and premium designer models.

Fakro attic windows have only been manufactured since 1991, less than 30 years than Velux windows. The Danish manufacturer held a near-monopoly on the market at the time the Polish company Fakro was founded. Nowadays, roughly 20% of sales worldwide and 70–80% of sales in Poland are made of macro rifle windows. The reason for this sudden growth is that the product is comparatively inexpensive—it costs 5–10% less than Velux windows—its wooden frames and wings are expertly crafted in budget series, and the manufacturer offers an unmatched guarantee: if a double-glazed window or any window spare part breaks, the manufacturer will replace it for free.

This implies that the company will provide a new double-glazed window at no cost to you if, while clearing snow off the roof, you break a window or hook a Fakro window. These kinds of warranty terms are specific to the building industry.

Lukarns: classical aesthetics and convenience

The superstructure, known by various names such as auditory window, "cuckoo," and lukarn, was a house perched above the roof’s slope. Its original purposes were to ventilate the attic and provide the building with an ostentatious view. As cities’ populations increased, homes’ attics started to progressively become more insulated and liveable. The lucarna on roofs stopped being merely an ornamental feature, and the auditory windows were given a major role as the attic floor’s primary source of daylight.

In any case, auditory windows struggle to fulfill this function. The window is installed in an independent, well-lit box in the lcarne. Even on a bright, sunny day, the amount of illumination then starts to drop off sharply, reaching twilight in the room’s corners.

Therefore, lukarnas essentially stopped being integrated into private home roofs with the introduction of more affordable and efficient attic windows. But even with all of its flaws, the lunar on the attic appears incredibly charming and sophisticated. The fashion is still very much in fashion. At the house, a recognizable "face" emerges, and tongs cut into a slope distort the roof’s symmetry.

The lunar has a straightforward design, consisting of the window itself, two side walls, and a roof. Based on the shape, the lunar occurs:

• with a flat roof;
• single -shoe;
• gable;
• Valmova;
• built -in.

Pitched-roof likarnas are formed using the same principles as full-fledged forceps. They are slightly lower than the skate, but not embedded. We do not advise making a lot of lucarer because each auditory window collects entire snowdrifts; the total snowy load on the roof might be too great.

The built-in lucarna has no walls, unlike other kinds of windows; instead, it appears to grow out of the roof. Although it requires a lot of work to install, this roof looks fantastic. Furthermore, because of its large bias and streamlined design, the built-in auditory window essentially doesn’t stop snow from building up on the roof.

Anti -aircraft lights on the roof: effectively and stylish

Is it possible to spot large, glazed structures on the roof of any sizable shopping center? These sturdy anti-aircraft lanterns, which are made of a metal frame and coated in hardened glass or monolithic polycarbonate, are typically used to illuminate the spaces beneath the flat roofs of large buildings.

An anti-aircraft lantern is shaped like a rounded or pyramid and is at least 20 centimeters above the roof. The anti-aircraft lantern’s base can be any shape, including square, rectangular, round, or polygonal. This has no bearing on anything other than the architectural arrangement. However, constructive performance is crucial. For example, swinging can be used as part of the smoke removal system and as a means of ventilation within the building. Deaf anti-aircraft lights are also more dependable. Furthermore, the anti-aircraft lantern provides a good window loudness; its installation removes the need for a passing to the roof and a stationary staircase.

Anti-aircraft lights were originally intended to cover public, commercial, and industrial buildings, but they are now being used in private construction. This is because flat roofs are becoming more and more popular. The truth is that a flat roof window can only be made in this way; otherwise, it will leak and be perpetually covered in snow during the winter.

Nonetheless, installing anti-aircraft lights is a smart design choice but not a requirement for private homes. Cottages typically have smaller floor plans, making it impossible for traditional vertical windows to illuminate them. On the other hand, the anti-aircraft lantern can easily flood a cheat room with light. and provides the chance to view the stars without having to leave your house. It’s also impressive when the sky is above the head rather than a deaf ceiling. Of course, you won’t get any design effect if the glazing area is large and you simply purchase a window for the roof in order to maintain it.

Light tunnels on the roof: sunlight in any room

Light tunnels are a relatively new invention. They are positioned to provide lighting in the rooms that aren’t suitable for attic windows. These are typically hallways, restrooms, changing areas, and other spaces that are not close to the slopes.

Three components make up the light tunnel: a ceiling, a flip (a reflective shaft), and an exterior window. As sunlight falls through the window, it is reflected off the mirror-like walls of the light and flows through the ceiling into the desired space. Simultaneously, it receives up to 98% of the sunlight through a light-breeder, and its length reaches 12 meters. Rooftop light tunnels are incredibly efficient and have rightfully won numerous accolades from design competitions and hundreds of positive reviews from happy owners.

Similar to attic windows, Velux and Fakro are the primary manufacturers of lighting tunnels.

A level, roofing-mounted flat exterior window is a feature of the Velux light tunnel. As a result, the snow gently slides off the roof rather than building a drift outside the window. Designer ceiling and curtains are just two of the many accessories that Light Veluke tunnels come with. Thus, VELUX lighting designer LoveGrove won the 2010 Award Dot Design Awards.

The light tunnel fakro has an outer glass that is semicircular, unlike Velux. The dome should provide more even lighting during the day, just as the engineers had intended. However, you will have to pay for this with snow caps, which will accumulate around the roof’s light tunnel windows. The second advantage of FAKRO light tunnels is that a lightover can be extended up to 12 meters, whereas a Velux light shaft can only go as long as 6 meters. The third distinction is the same for every FAKRO product: a marginally reduced cost for similar quality.

In summary, if you’re willing to spend a little more on designer items and possibly better dependability, go for Velux light tunnels. If you’re more flexible and easily accessible, go for FAKRO products.

Choosing a window for a window

With the exception of light tunnels and anti-aircraft lights, almost all roof window designs are made with frames made of three materials:

1. Wooden windows. Unlike ordinary vertical window blocks, plastic windows on the roof are practically not placed. Standard material of the frame of attic windows – tree. Disit tree, retains heat well and serves for decades with proper processing.
2. Plastic windows. PVC attic windows are usually placed in rooms with high humidity, for example, in bathrooms. There is no much sense in them in living rooms, and they look worse than a tree.
3. Aluminum windows. Aluminum is light, durable and almost eternal material, but it conducts heat very well. Even when using the technology of thermal gap and modern multi -chamber frames. Therefore, an aluminum frame is made either at the attic windows, or where the strength is of critical value, for example, in the manufacture of the frames of anti -aircraft lamps.

Wooden attic windows are generally the best option.

Selecting the appropriate roof windows can greatly improve the comfort and energy efficiency of your house. When choosing windows for your roof, take both looks and functionality into account. A skylight can bring in a lot of natural light, which opens up a room and makes it feel cozier. Additionally, they provide ventilation, which is essential for preserving a healthy interior atmosphere.

The direction of the sun throughout the day and the orientation of your roof are important factors to take into account. Windows facing south receive more direct sunlight, which keeps rooms warmer and may even lower heating bills during the winter. They could, however, also result in more heat gain during the summer, necessitating careful shading techniques.

If privacy is a priority in a room, like a bathroom or bedroom, look for windows with blind or shade options. This lets you adjust the light and privacy levels to suit your needs. Furthermore, energy-efficient glazing can minimize heat gain in the summer and prevent excessive heat loss in the winter, helping to regulate indoor temperatures.

Finally, roof windows’ longevity and performance are greatly dependent on their installation. Skylights that have been installed correctly should be insulated and waterproof to stop leaks and preserve energy efficiency. To make sure the windows are installed correctly and in accordance with local building codes and regulations, think about speaking with a professional.

"By letting light in while keeping the elements out, the right roof windows can completely change the appearance of your room. When choosing roof windows, energy efficiency, size, and placement are important considerations that can improve ventilation and natural lighting. Whether your goal is to open up a dark attic or make your living space feel more spacious, it’s important to know how different window styles and materials affect the comfort and energy efficiency of your house. In order to ensure that your roof windows not only improve the visual appeal of your home but also add to its functionality and energy efficiency, this article examines useful advice and insights.

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