Improving Indoor Air Quality

Original Post by Grant Sneddon on VELUX UK Blog

We all know that outdoor air pollution can be harmful to our health. But did you know the air inside our homes can be a big problem too? Research by the World Health Organisation has found that indoor air quality can often be two to five times worse than outdoors.Fine particles in polluted air can travel deep into our lungs, causing irritation and inflammation. This increases the risk of asthma attacks, strokes, heart attacks, and other serious illnesses. Children, the elderly, and people with existing heart or respiratory conditions are particularly vulnerable to the effects of indoor air pollution. But since we spend about 90% of our time indoors – we could all benefit from cleaner air.

Indoor pollutants fall into three categories:
Asthma and allergy triggers - biological particles from mould, dust mites, pollen, smoke, and pet dandruff can cause allergic responses in some people. Mould most commonly affects bathrooms and poorly ventilated bedrooms, whereas dust mites and pet dandruff can lurk on floors, furniture and textiles.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) - these include both natural and synthetic chemicals, found in sources like cleaning products, air fresheners, paints, glues and adhesives, synthetic fragrances and cosmetics. Research has shown that VOCs can irritate the lungs, particularly in children. 

Combustion Pollutants - these are the gases or particles that come from burning materials, such as fireplaces, space heaters, gas stoves, water heaters and tumble dryers. The amount and type of pollutants released depends on how well the appliance has been maintained, how well it’s ventilated and how it is fuelled. A few common combustion pollutants include carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.

So how can you freshen the air in the home? Here’s a few simple changes you can make.

Have a shoes-off policy
Your footwear can bring all kinds of unpleasantness into your home, from pesticides and pollen to dog mess and dust. Keep the outdoors out by taking your shoes off just inside the front door, or leaving them on the porch if you have one. Invest in a sturdy doormat to reduce the amount of dust and pollutants tracked inside. 

Let the fresh air in

Good ventilation is the ultimate for cleaning the air indoors, plus it’s fast and free! Open the windows whenever you can, so fresh air can circulate throughout your home.The principle of ‘stack’ ventilation is a simple way to quickly and effectively ventilate your home without mechanical ventilation. This involves opening a window higher in your property, like a roof window, and lower window, to effectively ‘pull’ fresh air into the home. Hot air rises, being drawn out of the upper window, and fresh cooler air is pulled into the building to replace it. This is particularly effective if you have roof windows in a kitchen extension for instance, allowing you to quickly clear cooking smells and damp air. The same principle applies when you ventilate the whole house by opening both downstairs and upstairs windows and leaving internal doors open to allow air to circulate freely. Even if you can only manage a few minutes during the deepest depths of winter, it will makes a big difference.

Stock up on indoor plants

Indoor plants are superb pollution-busters. As well as bringing life and colour to your home, they are natural air filters, absorbing harmful particles like benzene, formaldehyde and ammonia. The clever folks at NASA have compiled a list of the best air-cleaning plants, including peace lilies, spider plants, bamboo palms and weeping figs. 

Groom your furry friends
Pets are among the worst culprits for indoor air pollution, with hair and dead skin cells (known as pet dander) increasing the allergen levels. Groom your pets regularly to help reduce the amount of hair that ends up in the air and on the carpet and soft furnishings.

Scrub that shower

Mould can gather oh so quickly on shower tiles or on the dreaded plastic shower curtain. Clean regularly so those spores don’t have a chance to grow. Ensure the bathroom is well ventilated, as air that is too humid creates perfect conditions for mould and dust mites. 

Keep a clean sheet

Dust mites love to hide in bedding, so wash bed linen once a week. If you suffer from allergies, use good quality dust-mite-proof pillows and mattress covers. 

Flawless floors
Dust mites also like to hang out on carpets, so regularly hoovering is a must. Consider using a high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) vacuum cleaner with disposable bags and strong suction. The powerful filters trap both microscopic and large particles, so that they aren’t released into the air via the vacuum exhaust. It’s also a good idea to get a professional carpet cleaner in to clean the carpets now and then, to tackle any deep-lingering dust or spores that may have escaped the Hoover’s reach.

Use eco-friendly cleaning products

Many cleaning products can emit harmful VOCs and gases. There’s now a huge range of highly effective eco-friendly non-toxic cleaners on the market, or check out Pinterest for loads of ideas for making our own natural cleaning products. Prepare to be amazed by what can be achieved with just vinegar, bicarb soda and/or lemons!

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.

Bright Sunroom, Happy Customer

We recently installed three new VELUX Skylights with blinds in a sunroom that just wasn't meeting its potential. With some light from above, the space is now bright and airy, just as a sunroom should be.

Check out the transformation below:

 

"I am completely pleased with the skylights and installation. Joel and crew were the best contractors I have ever worked with: efficient, skilled, on-time, friendly, and detail-oriented. The VELUX hardware is simply magnificent. 

It was a pleasure doing business with you. I'll gladly recommend Naturalight Solar to anyone in the area interested in skylights.

Thank you again."

-Ross A. 

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. 

Best of HomeAdvisor 2018

We’ve won the 2018 Best of HomeAdvisor Award! 

What does it mean? Winners of the award are among the highest rated service professionals in the HomeAdvisor network based on exceptional quality, service, and value. Serving our community with quality products and craftsmanship will always be our top priority.

Want to learn more about our business? Visit our page on HomeAdvisor by clicking here.

VELUX Skylights Make a Fresh and Healthy Home

Watch to see how architect Jeff Day used eight VELUX No Leak Solar Powered "Fresh Air" Skylights to refresh the air inside a southern Illinois home, where two asthma and allergy sufferers live. Built by Oasis Home Construction, the skylights were positioned to maximize the chimney effect: when warm, stale air escapes through open skylights and cool, fresh air is drawn in through lower level windows. In addition to freshening the air inside, the skylights provide ample daylight from above to create a cheerful atmosphere. 

Here's How Often You Should Ventilate Your Bathroom

Original Post by Kat Wiseman for VELUX USA Blog

        It's no secret that bathrooms can get steamy. Where there's steam, there's generally going to be condensation. And where there's condensation, there can eventually be mold and mildew, which is why it's so important to keep the bathroom properly ventilated.

Avoiding Condensation

        Realistically, you should ventilate your bathroom any time steam creates excess moisture in the air. You'll be able to tell it's doing this from the feeling of humidity and condensation on your mirror and other bathroom surfaces. This excess moisture can affect everything from the structural integrity of your bathroom to your family's health. 

        Sometimes, however, getting rid of condensation isn't as simple as flipping a switch to turn on the fan. In some instances, like if you're renting or have a restricted budget, ventilation options can be downright limited. So, read on for a few ways you can eliminate condensation in your bathroom. 

How to Ventilate Your Bathroom

1. Open the window - or skylight! - while bathing or showering. Open windows allow moist air to escape and fresh air to enter. This helps reduce mold or mildew growth. 
2. In a windowless bathroom, leave the door open during and after bathing. If your home has relatively low humidity (below 50%), the air that escapes your bathroom can help increase the overall humidity. If your home is overly humid, remove the excess moisture by opening a window in the room nearest the bathroom. 
3. Use a dehumidifier! Dehumidifiers draw moisture from the air, but many are electric so use them with caution when running water in your bathroom. 

More Ventilation Tips

• Mold thrives in dark spaces. So if you have a window in your bathroom, leave the blinds or curtains open when you're not using it to restrict the growth of mold. 
• You can track the humidity level in your home with a handy-dandy hygrometer, which can be found in most home and garden stores. 
• If you're renovating your bathroom or building a whole new one, it's required in many areas to install a properly sized ventilation system. Check with local authorities and building retailers for an exhaust fan with the right amount of output for the size of your bathroom. 

There's Light at the End of the Sun Tunnel

Written by Katie Cirovic, for VELUX UK Blog, September 6, 2017

The Rayner family used sun tunnels to increase natural light in the hallway of their four bedroom detached home in Northampton.

Freddie Rayner, 69, said his first floor hallway had always been starved of natural light as the space didn’t have any windows and he wasn’t sure what options were open to him. 

He said: “We even considered removing all the walls at the top of the stairs and replacing them with glass door and windows – but it was going to be hugely expensive.”

It was only while holidaying in Spain that he stumbled upon the perfect solution. While staying in a villa on Spain’s south-eastern Costa Blanca, Freddie was intrigued by a light feature in one of the rooms that he would later discover to be a sun tunnel. 

As soon as the plane touched down in the UK, Freddie was on the phone to a VELUX expert to discuss the benefits of having a sun tunnel installed in the hallway above the staircase.

He was told sun tunnels bring natural light in to even the darkest spaces through a specially designed, highly-reflective tunnel that passes from roof to ceiling meaning that you won’t necessarily always have to turn the
lights on.

They work best over small straight runs and the amount of light they direct into a hallway is quite remarkable.

In just 4 weeks, VELUX-recommended installers had positioned two sun tunnels directly above the staircase on the first floor of the Rayner’s family home and the space was forever transformed.

Freddie said: “The transformation is truly amazing. We’ve gone from relying on the reflective power of several strategically placed mirrors which we hoped would maximise the light given off by chandeliers we had to keep switched on throughout the day - to never turning on an electric light during the day again!

“The process of getting the sun tunnels installed was also seamless. From the initial conversation with the VELUX expert to liaising with the installers and then the sun tunnels actually going in – it was a painless process and total value for money. The installers, recommended to us by VELUX did such a clean job – all that was left for us to do was admire the result! 

“Our only regret is not looking into the sun tunnel option sooner. There is absolutely no reason to put up with darkness when VELUX exist in this world!”

Grant Sneddon, product manager at VELUX, added: “The Rayner’s project is a great example of a ‘don’t move, improve’ scenario. You can clearly see the difference in brightness when you look at their hallway before VELUX sun tunnels were installed and after.

“Having to withstand an undesirable, dark living environment can really get a person down and this is a fantastic case for how the limitations of a property can be overcome with one simple, effective modification. A VELUX sun tunnel can be installed anywhere there is 6m or less between your roof and ceiling such as hallways, like the Rayners, kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, home offices – the only limit is your imagination!”

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. 

Skylight Cousins

The lesser known cousin to traditional skylights is the VELUX Sun Tunnel Skylight. Despite its smaller size, it is just as bright as a traditional skylight and is better at spreading the light throughout the room. This is due to the highly reflective material of the tube in combination with the diffuser disc at the ceiling level.
Also, because of the Sun Tunnel's design and ease of installation, they are more cost friendly than a traditional skylight. So go ahead, light up every room.
If you're looking for a budget-friendly way to bring more natural light into your home without compromising quality, the VELUX Sun Tunnel is the skylight for you.

Give us a call today to get your free estimate: 707-527-5330
Or click here to visit our website.

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!