Sunshine denotes natural cheerfulness and well being. It has a positive effect on our lives. Skylights are able to introduce the sunlight into our very houses. They are not too popular mainly because they can be easily damaged by poorly hit golf balls and baseballs. Storms and hailstones have claimed a fair share of skylights. That’s because glass is used for skylight glazing. Change over to polycarbonate skylights for a risk-free experience of natural sunlight streaming into your house.
Polycarbonate is a tough transparent plastic polymer which is used to make things as varied as bulletproof windows and CDs. Polycarbonate is about 200 times tougher than the thickest glass. It is 6 times lighter than glass, and three times lighter than its cousin, acrylic. It can bear temperatures of up to 125 degrees Celsius. It can be treated to make it as transparent as glass, or it can be made opaque to any desired degree. No wonder it is very popular as skylight glazing in areas which are prone to accidents (like getting hit by golf balls or hailstones).
In other respects polycarbonate is just like glass. It allows all types of light to pass through, according to its translucence. Skylight plc can be coated with special films to cut out harmful ultraviolet light as protection against skin cancers. In other words, plc is synonymous with unbreakable glass.
Polycarbonate skylights come standard, or with optional coatings to control the amount of light that passes into the house. The standard variety allows all the light to pass through just like standard glass skylights. The opal lens coating is about 10% less transmissive; the advantage is that the sunlight is diffused thus providing uniform lighting in the lighted area. You can opt for this coating in those rooms where you don’t want the sunlight to enter directly.
At the other end of the translucency scale lies bronze filter coating which holds back most of the light. This is suitable for areas which are better off with low to moderate lighting, like lounges. Filter coatings are specified according to the percentage of light they pass. Filter coatings suitable for use with plc are available in a wide range of transmissivity ratings going all the way from 40% to 90%. By using a filter coating on the plc skylight, you can control the amount of light that passes through.
Modern medical research is discovering that there is a lot of truth in what the ancients believed about the sun’s health-giving properties. Researchers and psychologists say that natural sunlight helps to stabilize the mind. Cheerfulness is associated with a bright, sunlit room. So installing skylights will be psychologically beneficial.
Don’t install the skylights yourself. A professional contractor will be able to do a thorough job of sealing the skylights properly. Otherwise they will vent air, and you will face higher air conditioning bills. This reduces the cost benefit of skylights.
Since this is a critical aspect of installation, make sure that your contractor is competent to do the job properly. Check out his work record before entrusting him with the installation. Once the polycarbonate skylights are properly installed you can look forward to years and years of maintenance-free, charge-free sunlight. All together now, begin! ‘You are my sunshine! My only sunshine! You make me happy …!
Whether you are purchasing a roof skylight or one for your RV, it’s great to enjoy the many benefits natural light has to offer. Visit www.Skylight-Guide.com to learn about your many skylight options. And if you already have a skylight but it’s broken, learn why a replacement skylight is much better than just covering the hole.
