Bundle Skylights and Blinds to Save

Are you buying a new skylight for your home, but not sure if you want blinds? If you think you might want them later, we recommend taking the leap and purchasing both at the same time. This way, your blinds will be factory installed, saving you money on the purchase AND saving you the hassle and expense of adding the blinds later.

We have found that most customers purchasing a fixed curb mount skylight and having blinds installed at a later time, end up spending an extra $500.

Additionally, when the solar blinds are purchased separately from the fixed skylight, the 30% federal tax credit only applies to the blinds and not the skylight. When installed together, the tax credit applies to the entire project.

Why spend more?

With all that money you save, you could buy another skylight. 

Give our office a call at 707-527-5330 or click here to get a free estimate on your skylight project.

Case Study: Goodbye Leaky Skylights

Late last year Naturalight Solar, Inc. completed a large skylight replacement job in Novato. There were two old 2x9 skylights that were failing, causing leaking that resulted in water damage. Due to the large size of the existing skylights, Naturalight ordered custom curb adaptors so that new, standard size VELUX skylights could be installed. 

Old, leaking skylight arrays.

Interior water damage from leaking skylights. 

Visible cracks in the old skylights.

Naturalight removed the existing skylights and stripped down the old, damaged material to the base, from which we started fresh. Layer by layer, we installed the new skylights. Underlayment, metal flashings, shingles, curb adaptors, and finally, new VELUX Skylights. 

Stripped down to the base. 

New shingles going on over the underlayment. 

Metal flashings installed. 

Thybar Curb Adaptors in place and awaiting the new VELUX skylights. 

The two curb adaptors held three VELUX Skylights each, two of which were solar operable skylights. The addition of the solar operable skylights made the entire project eligible for a 30% Federal Solar Tax Credit, which resulted in a $5,000 credit for the homeowner. 

The completed VELUX Skylight arrays.

The VELUX Solar Operable skylight flanked by two VELUX fixed skylights. 

Measuring for a Replacement Curb Mount Skylight

        Are you planning your spring home improvement projects? Thinking about replacing that old, inefficient skylight? If you’re old skylight is a curb mount, then it is important to know the correct dimensions for ordering the replacement skylight so that it will fit the existing curb. 

        When ordering or describing a skylight, the measurements are always expressed as width (dimension horizontally across the roof) x length (dimension vertically up the roof).

        When measuring, you want to get the Outside Curb Dimension. This is the overall outside dimension (OD) of the finished, built-up curb. Skylights are then sized slightly larger than the OD of the curb in order to fit over the necessary roofing materials and sheet metal flashing, covering the whole like a box cover. 

If you’re not comfortable getting on your roof to take measurements, 

give our office a call at 707-527-5330 to schedule a site visit. 

Case Study: Soaring Skylights

This month, Naturalight Solar completed a project on a home in Napa that is under-going a complete remodel. We worked alongside the projects general contractor, Briant Frye of Frye Built Construction.

In this two-story home, we replaced one old plastic bubble skylight with a new VELUX glass 2x4 fixed skylight as well as installing a brand new skylight array in a curb adaptor over the great room where they will bring in lots of wonderful sunlight.

The nature of the project required a crane to lift the huge 8x8 foot curb adaptor into place where Frye had already made the cut-out in the roof. The crane was also used to bring up the four skylights that fit in the curb adaptor and the one replacement skylight.

    

The homeowner chose two VELUX fixed 4x4 curb mount skylights and two VELUX solar operable Fresh Air 4x4 skylights to go into the curb adaptor, creating a perfect system for natural light and ventilation. With the solar operable skylights at the highest point of the home, they will create a chimney effect when open to draw out stale, warm air and replace it with fresh air.

  

The homeowner decided on the black metal curb adaptor to match the unusual black metal roof that will be installed later. With the stunning backdrop of the Napa hills, we can’t wait to see photos of the finished home in a few months!

 

  

Case Study: Roofing and Skylights are Happier Together

A newly purchased Marin County home was in need of a new roof and brighter interior spaces. While it had existing traditional VELUX Skylights in good condition, the homeowners wanted to add four VELUX SUN TUNNELs.

This photo shows the existing skylights and
new curb mounted Sun Tunnels before being sealed
with the white vinyl roofing.

Naturalight Solar was called in to coordinate the installation with Wedge Roofing, who would be installing a new white vinyl roof. Sun Tunnel skylights can be installed on any roof type, but some roofs, like white vinyl, require extra steps for proper installation.

Naturalight Solar built the required curbs for optimal waterproofing and then installed the curbs and four 14" TCR VELUX SUN TUNNELs. As a finishing touch, we also added colored theater gels to tint the light to a warmer tone, per the homeowners preference.

When our work was complete, Wedge Roofing returned to install the white vinyl roofing, sealing the vinyl up the sides of the Sun Tunnel curbs for a seamless waterproofing.

If it's time for a new roof on your home and you think you might want to add skylights, give us a call for a free estimate at 707-527-5330. Likewise, if you want to add skylights and it's nearing time for a new roof, consider having both done at the same time. New roofs and skylights are happier together.

Replace Old Skylights Before they Fly Away

      Mother nature sometimes lets us know when we've been neglecting a project by making it impossible to put the project off any longer. This happened to a homeowner recently when their old acrylic dome skylight was blown right off the roof during a storm.

      The old, inefficient plastic skylight was due for replacing anyway. Before another storm could hit, we installed a new, energy efficient, flat glass VELUX Fixed Curb Mount 2x4 skylight. Well secured and durable enough to make it safely through the toughest storms, this homeowner is ready to weather many more winters.

   
      We recommend replacing your old skylight before mother nature begins the work for you. If you're not sure how much life your skylight has left, whether it's in danger of leaking, cracking, or being blown away, you can schedule a performance check-up with Naturalight Solar by calling our office at 707-527-5330 or sending an email to info@naturalight.org.

How to Measure for a Curb Mount Skylight

It is important to know the dimensions for your replacement skylight so the correct size can be ordered to fit the existing curb.
When ordering or describing a skylight, the measurements are always expressed as width (dimension horizontally across the roof) x length (dimension vertically up the roof).

The Outside Curb Dimension is the overall outside dimension size (OD) of the finished, built-up curb. To determine a correctly sized replacement skylight, also include the necessary roofing materials and sheet metal flashing. Skylights are sized slightly larger than the OD of the curb in order to fit over the top like a box cover.