Skylights Pros and Cons
There is no equal to the quality and brilliance of natural light. The first known use of skylight was in 1632 and they have been improving ever since. Skylights allow more natural light inside of your building and its occupants and can safe on costly lighting when properly located and installed—but older ones can be detrimental and can cause problems.
The trouble with older skylights
How long has it been since your skylights were inspected or serviced? How can you tell if it’s time to replace your skylight? Here are three common issues you will face with older skylights:
- They begin to leak
Have you noticed leaking from various points in the unit? From the seals to condensation – water on the inside the structure is not good. Fresh caulking around edges, flashing, sealants all need to be refreshed. Older windows do not have channels cut in them to handle the condensation and prevent drips from falling to the floor below.
- Yellowing and Discoloration
Acrylic Skylights can turn yellow/amber with age due to the effect of sunlight exposure degrading the material. Sunlight, especially ultraviolet radiation, has a disastrous effect on most plastics
- Cracks
Older skylights with cracks are not only unsafe they also create a fall hazard. Leaks will form and the compromised strength of the surface will be more dangerous during storms or having workers on roof.
Replacement
Impact modified acrylic has become the industry standard. Now, the industry is moving toward more polycarbonate products for the longevity and the stronger impact resistance that comes with it.
The industry is moving to Polycarbonate based skylights. These are much stronger & more UV-resistant than traditional materials that have been used in the past. Polycarbonate won’t yellow like older skylights and will last for much longer. Their high impact resistance will also make your rooftop safer for workers servicing your building. For building owners who have old skylights, it’s a great option to replace old, broken and leaking skylights with a newer, better quality skylight with much better technology.
A Common Retrofitting Application
A lot of older buildings will have smoke vents that were installed prior to modern sprinkler systems. Now that sprinkler systems are required and installed in most buildings the existing, un-needed smoke vents can now be retrofitted with modern skylights at a much lower cost and can now become an asset.
If your building needs roofing – from inspection to repairs call The Liberty Group. Located in Berkeley Heights, NJ we are here to handle all your commercial roofing and maintenance needs in the nearby townships. The Liberty Group Company is your partner in building maintenance, paper shredding, and moving services.