Tricky to opt for a skylight in India
A skylight has a host of benefits but in a country like India where the temperatures are high it does become a pain to manage. If you do a quick search online you will realise that lot of people are searching for how to reduce the heat from a skylight. So it is important to take into consideration some aspects of skylight.
Try to face the skylight away from the east or west direction to avoid direct sunlight into the house.
If a skylight opens to a wooden interiors then it has the potential to fade the polish, dry the wood and create problems in your wood and interiors.
If skylight allows direct sunlight and there is a tint of 30% is too less to bear the heat of sun in a place like Bangalore. So if you are in a even hotter area then you definitely need to consider better shades or sun film for this glass. Try to opt for 60% heat rejection at minimum.
The other option is to have a non-flat design for your skyroof. That way you can avoid direct sunlight entering the house but it would block the view to outside. So its a compromise where you get the light but not the heat and do not get the view of moon or clear blue skies.
One of the options is to go for a skylight blinds or a curtain which is available in manual and automatic remote modes. The cost of such a setup in India at the moment is very high. Main reasons quoted by suppliers was higher cost of imported fabric.
A sunfilm seems to be the best option but its best if it could be put onto the interior of the glass. So it is very wise to think about sun film much before you place the glass on top of a grill or metal fabrication. So consider the sunfilm option at the time of design, if not, an external sun film costs huge money and normally does not last for a long time.
There have been several cases where people have tried to close down the skylight using a proper roof or tiles owing to excess heat. Note that in a country like India heat is something that is a problem and people try to coat their roof with lime, white paint and other heat reflective paints. So a skylight is like opening up the roof above and allowing sun to enter your house. If you have a AC system then you definitely need to rethink the skylight option, because it will just shoot up the cooling costs.
So to summarise, skylight is good to have but it has lot of expense involved in opting for sunfilm, toughened glass, fabrication support, curtains or blinds if any. If you go for a less tinted glass, you will really feel the heat of sun and sometimes wish that you had not opted for skylight. Not to forget the loss of interior furniture, air conditioning costs, etc. So plan well and explore houses which have skylight before opting for one. Also choose the right location for skylight such that it does not fall above furniture and valuable items. It is best if it is above an open area or interior garden with medium or maximum tint and heat rejection.
So consider all these aspects, visit some houses with skylight and check their benefits and problems and then opt for one.
I have a question, is their stuff called Moon skylight? 🙂 have you heard of it or is it possible to build one because the full moon path throughout the year is from East ( moon rise is between 65°N-115°N) to west in the southern part of INDIA.
kindly reply me with some info or links
Thanks
Regard: Ishwar
Skylight we wanted to see the moon and we kept a flat and clear glass. Later was forced to put sun film. I am not aware if they still overlap with sun path because I can see the moon straight up several times through my skylight. In any case I have not heard of some moon chasing but sun avoiding skylight. Will share if I come across something. Thanks for your comment.
HI sir ,
We want to install a skylight in bangalore. But I have no idea about it.
I have few questions in my mind .. if you ans it would be a great help for us.
1) how safe to install a skylight
2) how much itime costs
3)what are the maintenance issue’s if any.
Skylight I would prefer to use a metal designer grill inside to prevent just a glass. Glass has to be toughened. Some people go for laminated so that it cannot break even if it shatters. A glue holds it together if someone were to break it. Maintenance will be required but make sure it’s reachable. Biggest problem I found was heat. Which I have covered in my blog. Cost = grill + glass(5mm to 12 toughened). Depends on size.
Can you suggest someone who does good skylight designs and installation
I need options for skylight for our double height multipurpose room. So the skylight must look fancy enough for a party hall and should also be appropriate for a gaming hall and also should keep the room cool in hot summers of up to 50 degree Celsius.
Not aware of such solution. I just suggested things to keep in mind. Dont have solution or team. Sorry and all the best. Will share if i come across something.
Hi..I have a big sunlight which is 9 by 6 feet.. it leaks during rainy season and summer season too much heat .the cushion covers are fading very fast..kindly let me know what to do about it..is it ok if I fix fabrication and on top it Mangalore tiles?
My suggestion is dont leave gap between two layers. Not sure how to clean the top or glass if you fix mangalore tiles on it. Infact i have same issue..so yet to think of a great plan. I have 10×10 but no water problem so far. But sunlight is still a problem even though i put sunfilm.
hi Naveen can you please explain us in detail how did u do your skylight, and also steps that were considered while constructing to avoid leakages