Skylights attract attention with its romance and non-trivial exterior design, which adds originality to the appearance of the house and allows you to create a source of plentiful daylight. The main difficulty if you want to install a window on the roof is the dimensions of the structure, which must be selected with special scrupulousness. The right choice means creating an exterior that emphasizes the exterior nobility of the house.
How to choose the area of future glazing
The market segment for the manufacture of attic installations is replete with various offers, which will not be difficult to get confused in. In order for the attic to be glazed correctly, follow a series of simple recommendations:
- the glazing area can be determined according to the following scheme: 1 m2 of the dormer-window per 10 m2 of free space;
- for the attic in the nursery or living room, it is advisable to use a scheme of 8 m2 area per 1 m2 of window;
- in order to achieve maximum lighting, it is recommended to install windows on both slopes;
- choose a window depending on the layout of the roof: for example, using tall structures for a flat roof.
Dimensional grid of attic installations
The standard sizes of attic structures are represented by 14 positions, and each of the manufacturers has at least 6 dimensional grids in its ranks. For example, the dimensions of Velux skylights are quite large, they are in a large and medium grid, so it will be very difficult to find small sizes.
Velux company can please its customers with only one small size - 55 x 98 cm. Medium-sized constructions are represented by indicators of 66 x 118 cm, and large-sized ones - from 78 x 98 cm to 114 x 140 cm. Before you go shopping, it’s practical to ask the seller if there are any models in stock.
What the construction is made of
Most often, the main material is glued beams, with the exception of the design of sanitary zones, since wood does not tolerate moisture. For a bathroom or tub, frames made of metal-plastic or wood with a coating of polyurethane are used, which can cope with high humidity and temperature extremes.
By the way, dormer-windows of velux or other manufacturers with small sizes organically look in latrines. They provide sufficient lighting, but do not open up a large view from the outside.
Location of Opening Elements
The opening axis is located in three variations: in the center, in the upper part and at 2/3 of the height of the window itself. The central option is very popular, since its installation is recognized as the most inexpensive. The two remaining options have a common advantage, which is convenience and comfort, eliminating the chance of accidentally bumping into an open window. Do not forget that you can always choose a combined opening system if you wish.
Choose a double-glazed window for the attic structure
An important role in choosing dormer-windows is performed by high-quality glass, necessarily tempered and filled with inert gas - argon, which will provide excellent thermal insulation of the room. Since the window is located on the roof, the dimensions and the glass unit determine the degree of load that the structure will have to withstand. Ordinary glass will not cope with rain and snowfall, strong gusts of wind and other weather events, so the reliability of the glass unit is the key to safety for the owners of the house.
Depending on the financial capabilities, many manufacturers suggest considering models whose designs have increased functionality:
- argon is replaced by gas, which provides even higher thermal conductivity;
- a double-glazed window made by special technology allows the damaged glass to break into unsharp fragments and protects a person from injury;
- glass with a special coating that will reflect heat either inside the room or in the outside;
- increase the thickness of the glass to achieve maximum strength.
In addition to quality indicators, manufacturers offer to take advantage of pleasant developments in the form of automated attic structures. You can control them with a mobile remote control or with the help of switches mounted on the wall.
Technical characteristics of a double-glazed window
To achieve good functionality of skylights, a large role is played by the technical requirements for double-glazed windows, which must comply with the following indicators:
- high product safety;
- providing good thermal insulation;
- the presence of bonus features at the window of the class "Lux".
We arrange the windows correctly
To achieve the brightest lighting during the day, mount 2 or 3 windows in one room, placing them on opposite sides of the roof. Installation of one, but a large window, will not allow to achieve a similar effect, since its area will be equal to the sum of the areas of several components. Skylights with a large surface will make the room cozy and evenly fill with light. The distance between the windows and the width of the structures is determined by the distance between the rafters.
Optimum construction dimensions
Beautiful views allow you to observe installations with sizes reaching 1 meter. But, caring for beautiful landscapes, do not forget that the main thing is to set the window correctly. For these purposes, it must be located in the range from 0.9 m to 1.2 m in the lower part (from the floor) and from 2 m to 2.2 m in the upper part.
When determining the dimensions in length, pay attention to the angle of the roof. The lower the slope, the higher the length of the window structure. For example, for a roof with a slope of 35 °, the window length of 160 cm will be optimal. A slope of 70 ° will require a frame of 100-120 cm in length, respectively.
Think over the number of future windows at the planning and development stage of the project, since the width of the windows and the distance between the rafters have a delicate relationship. The method of designing the rafters directly depends on the initial choice.
When installing skylights, determine their dimensions according to the openings in advance, which will facilitate future work and do without alterations with additional costs.