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.

Celebrate Earth Day in Sonoma County

      We believe in celebrating the earth every day, but Earth Day is a great way to grow awareness and nurture our gratitude for all the earth gives us.
     
      Check out this article from SonomaCounty.com for some Earth Day activities this weekend. From the Quarryhill Botanical Gardens to the Flavors of Spring at Korbel Champagne Cellars to an evening walk and campfire at Spring Lake Regional Park, there's something to inspire everyone.

     
      If you want to make a lasting difference for Earth Day, while brightening your home, consider installing a VELUX SUN TUNNEL in that dark hallway, bathroom, closet, bedroom, or office. The VELUX SUN TUNNEL brings in the sunshine, eliminating the need for daytime electric lighting, thus reducing your electricity usage and your carbon footprint.

Read more about skylight energy savings here.

Submit your free estimate request here.

Sweet Treats for Spring

      Whether you're celebrating the Easter holiday or the arrival of spring, everyone loves a sweet treat. Wondering what delicious dessert to present to your family and friends in the radiant light of your skylight?

Here are our top five picks:

1. Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting by Happy Healthy Mama

2. Strawberry Sweet Rolls by A spicy Perspective

3. Chocolate Zucchini Brownies (Whole Grain, Dairy Free) by Taxanerin Baking

4. Strawberry Dessert Salad (with Toffee) by Double the Batch

5. Caramel Pecan Cheesecake Bars (Gluten Free, Flourless, Sugar Free, Dairy Free) by The Movement Menu

And Spring arose on the garden fair, 

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast

rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.

~Percy Bysshe Shelley

Happy Spring!

Save Your Home with the SunRise Solar Attic Fan

With warmer temperatures on the way, it's time to prepare and protect your home. Attic temperatures can easily become 30 to 50 degrees higher than the outside temperature and these extreme temperatures can be damaging to your home. 
Extreme heat can deteriorate your wiring insulation, cause the laminate on your plywood to peel off, and bake your composition shingles into brittle chips. It can also damage your possessions stored in the attic.
Reducing attic temperatures and circulating the air will protect and prolong the life of your roof, wiring, and possessions, as well as allowing the living area of your home to remain cooler through the summer. 

The Solar Advantage

Like traditional attic fans, solar attic fans remove hot, stagnant air from your attic, which allows your air conditioner to cool your home more efficiently - cutting your energy costs up to 30% while extending the life of your HVAC. What makes solar attic fans even better is that they require no electricity. That means not only are your operational costs zero, but installation is wire free and a breeze!
Solar attic fans are almost undetectable. With a sleek design for every rooftop, solar attic fans blend seamlessly into your roofline. And unlike an electric attic fan, they are extremely quiet. If it wasn't for the energy savings, you might forget it's there.
Reducing your attic temperature will reduce your energy bills and protect the life of your home. 

Prepare for the summer. Call Naturalight Solar
today for a free estimate:

707.527.5330

Or submit an estimate request online.

VELUX SUN TUNNEL Skylights are for All Roof Types

In just one day, we installed one 10" and two 14" VELUX SUN TUNNEL skylights to dramatically brighten the kitchen and bathrooms of this Sonoma County home. Standing in close proximity to surrounding two story homes which shade the windows, the Sun Tunnels bring in additional natural light from the sunny rooftop without compromising privacy. 

The rooftop photos show the clean look of the Sun Tunnels on a flat tile roof. Sun Tunnels can be installed on all roof types, though some require additional labor and special flashings. However, in most cases, the tubular skylights remain the most efficient, effective, and affordable option for bringing natural light into your home. 

Don't wait until it rains to get your skylights checked out!

Too Hot & Too Dark...VELUX Solar "Fresh Air" Skylight to the Rescue

Is your home hot, stuffy, and dark?
See what a Velux solar "fresh air" skylight can do for you.

Summer days in the living room of this Santa Rosa home were unbearably hot and stuffy. With no way for the heat to escape, it rose to the ceiling and stayed there, overheating the whole room. Also, because of the wood interior, the room was quite dark. The owners decided to install a VELUX solar operable four by two foot "fresh air" skylight to get rid of the heat and brighten things up.

The skylight installation was completed in two days, with a total budget of $4,900. The VELUX solar operable "fresh air" skylight gives them the opportunity for a 30% federal tax credit of $1,470, reducing the net cost of the skylight addition to $3,430.

What was once an over-heated, dimly lit room now has lots of natural light and much better ventilation. 

We love our skylight. It has added much more than just light to our home. We can see the oak tree and feel a bit more of the outside beauty of our home. We LOVE how much hot air it lets out of a previously uncomfortably warm room. The rain sensor works every time, and we don't have to remember to close the skylight if rain is imminent. Thank you for the beautiful workmanship and attention to detail.                                                                                         ~Emily &Bryan

Learn More Here

More Coffee or More Sunlight?

      Have you ever experienced trouble falling asleep at night? Or staying awake at school or work during the post-lunch hours? These feelings of sleeplessness and sleepiness are often caused by the type of lighting we are exposed to throughout the day. For a lot of us, this lighting is electric rather than natural sunlight, and with time, it can have a huge affect on our bodies.

      All light, whether it is electric or natural, has what is called a Kelvin color temperature. Most standard electrical lighting is at 3,500 Kelvin, and remains at this level throughout the day. However, sunlight can reach levels up to 10,000 Kelvin, and changes throughout the day.

Certain levels, usually 4,500 to 6,500 Kelvin, allow our bodies to feel more awake and energized. In the evening, the natural color temperature decreases, allowing our bodies to slow down and progress naturally towards sleep. In other words, the changing color temperature throughout the day and night (the moonlight has color temperature, too) assists in regulating our body’s circadian rhythms.

      Spending so much time inside, under unnatural lighting, upsets these natural rhythms. Studies have shown that computer, television, and cell phone screens all give off light that has higher levels of blue light (a higher color temperature), a quality that tells our brains and bodies that it is time to be awake and active—which contradicts going to sleep right after using them.

      In some hospitals and care facilities they are using lighting in the evenings that has more red light (a lower color temperature) because it creates the opposite effect of blue light. It is calming, relaxing, and good for sleeping.

 By creating ways for abundant natural light to enter a living or work space, we can create indoor spaces that will balance your circadian rhythms and create a healthy, comfortable environment that will give you energy and help you sleep!
   

Skylights are the perfect way to let abundant natural light into your home that will make you feel good!

Call us today for a free estimate! (707) 527-5330.

***

 If you are interested in reading more about Kelvin light temperature, check out the source for this article here: “Human Centric Lighting” by Stan Walerczyk: http://humancentriclighting.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Stan-Article-SSL1.pdf 

and the Human Centric Lighting Website: http://humancentriclighting.com

Natural light improves your life

Are you falling asleep on the job?

Lack of sunlight in the workplace is a misdemeanor.

The more you miss, the meaner you get.

Several independent studies have shown that the lack of natural light can lead to drowsiness, poor health, bad attitude, and low productivity.

• Schools that make use of skylights and tubular skylights see better concentration and improved test scores.
• Natural lighting in stores produces higher profits and more pleasant employee/customer relations.
• Customers are more relaxed in day-lit stores and can see the products and labels clearly.
• Customers seem to have positive feelings about the day-lit stores and identify those stores with an airy clean feeling.
• A store with skylights is observed to have a higher sales index than an equivalent store without natural light.
• Skylights increase productivity in manufacturing buildings and morale in office buildings.

There is a definite relationship between day-lighting and human performance and there additional benefits to natural lighting as well:

• Lowers your power bills by reducing electricity used to illuminate the room
• Brings less heat into interior spaces unlike electric lights
• Reduces your carbon footprint

Increase your daylight delight.

Call Naturalight today to get a free estimate.

See you at the Marin Home Show

Come to the Marin Fairgrounds this weekend, May 22nd and 23rd, to kick off your home improvements at the Marin Home Show. Naturalight will be there with the next generation of VELUX® Skylights and SUN TUNNELS. Revitalize your home and you with free, nourishing daylight.

You can find all your skylight needs at D'House of D'Light, our large yellow display trailer in the outside exhibit area. Choose from the full line of VELUX® products for light, ventilation and a view--whether from roof windows, operable, or fixed skylights. And don't forget tubular skylights for those confined, hard-to-access spaces like closets and hallways, where you just need daylight.

Control the light that enters your room using only the power of the sun. There's a 30% federal tax credit available on solar blinds. Take advantage of their innovative design operated by remote control. Available in both blackout and roller blind versions.

Hot water never felt so good... with a VELUX® solar water heating system. Save an average of 50 to 80% on your water heating bills using free and unlimited sunlight. Reduce your carbon footprint and take advantage of State incentives and Federal tax credits.

We've rolled back prices to roll with the times, so daylighting is more budget-friendly than ever. Plus, 12 month financing options are available. You'll love the savings on your energy bill once you're more energy-efficient and earth-friendly, too.

Hours: Saturday 10-7, Sunday 10-6

Admission Fees: $8 Adults, $7 Seniors & Disabled, Kids 14 and under Free
The Marin Center and Exhibit Hall and Fairgrounds are located at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael, California. http://www.marinhomeshow.com/maps.html

See You at the Napa Home and Garden Show

Come to the Napa Valley Expo Fairgrounds this weekend, May 14th-16th, to kick off your home improvements at the Napa Home and Garden Show. Naturalight will be there with the next generation of VELUX® Skylights and SUN TUNNELS. Revitalize your home and you with free, nourishing daylight.

You can find all your skylight needs at D'House of D'Light, our large yellow display trailer in the outside exhibit area. Choose from the full line of VELUX® products for light, ventilation and a view--whether from roof windows, operable, or fixed skylights. And don't forget tubular skylights for those confined, hard-to-access spaces like closets and hallways, where you just need daylight.

Control the light that enters your room using only the power of the sun. There's a 30% federal tax credit available on solar blinds. Take advantage of their innovative design operated by remote control. Available in both blackout and roller blind versions.

Hot water never felt so good... with a VELUX® solar water heating system. Save an average of 50 to 80% on your water heating bills using free and unlimited sunlight. Reduce your carbon footprint and take advantage of State incentives and Federal tax credits.

We've rolled back prices to roll with the times, so daylighting is more budget-friendly than ever. Plus, 12 month financing options are available. You'll love the savings on your energy bill once you're more energy-efficient and earth-friendly, too.

Hours: Friday 12-7, Saturday 10-7, Sunday 10-6

Admission Fees: $7 Adults, Kids 12 and under Free, Senior's Day on Friday: 62 and better $4

Napa Valley Expo Fairgrounds at Silverado Trail and 3rd Street

New VELUX SUN TUNNEL™ SE series qualifies for 30% federal tax credit

By installing VELUX SUN TUNNEL SE series in your primary residence, not only will you get more natural light into your home, you may receive a tax credit of 30% of the price of the product, up to $1500. Utilizing the same proven design of the standard VELUX SUN TUNNEL skylight, the Super Energy Efficient series meets the higher performance standards of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This tax credit program is available through December 31, 2010.

VELUX redesigned the roof dome of the 10” and 14” SUN TUNNELS to reduce the summertime solar heat gain and added an extra insulation space to increase the insulation factor. The end result is that the SE series is even more energy efficient than the standard SUN TUNNEL.

More information is available at www.energystar.gov/tax credit and http://www.veluxusa.com/Consumer/Products/tax_credits/st_tax_credit/default.aspx

As in all tax matters, you are advised to consult your tax professional.