New roof? Should I replace my skylight too?
If the time has come to invest in a new roof, you may already be dreading the questions you need to ask yourself. What type of tile do you need? Do you want a different angle of slope? What colour of guttering will match? With so many things to remember, it’s easy to overlook space for your old skylight in the upgraded structure. In this article, we’re exploring whether a new roof means it’s time for a new skylight and the factors you need to consider.
Budget
When a new roof is on the horizon, you’ll be crunching the numbers to make sure every penny is spent wisely. Costs can soon start to rise when you consider the aesthetic improvements you can make to your home with extra detailing on your roof. Whether you replace your old skylight or not can simply be decided on how much is left in the pot once you’ve costed up. However, it’s worth remembering that you may be looking at a false economy if you choose to reinstall your current skylight. Although reflashing is the cheaper option, many roofers will include a disclaimer before starting the work that states they won’t be held responsible for future glass-seal failures or leaks. Alongside this, older skylights will be out of warranty – or you may actually be breaking warranty by reinstalling either the frame or the glass.
This means if anything happens to your skylight in future, you’ll have to pay out again to get it fixed or replaced. The age of your skylight can be a huge contributing factor to this so if your model is over 10 years old, we’d highly recommend looking at new options.
Technology
From sensors that close a skylight when they detect rain to incredible solar control glass, technology has made some drastic changes to skylights over the last few years.
If the skylight on your previous roof is starting to show its age, you might be missing out on a host of fantastic features that are designed to improve your living experience. There’s also been dramatic advancements in the field of energy efficiency. You now have options such as triple glazing on offer, which can help you achieve an overall U-value of 0.6. (You can read more about this in our post on the benefits of triple glazing.) In turn, this can have a huge impact on how you keep your home warm to lower those energy bills.
Style
From cool grey tiles to warm red shingles, a change of roof is one of the biggest exterior transformations you can make to your home without extending or painting. If you’re taking the time to consider a new aesthetic, adding an older skylight back into your new roof can instantly take away the shine.
Whether you’re going for a more traditional finish or a modern look, you can choose from a huge range of colours and coatings with a new skylight. A contrasting shade will make your skylight pop from its surroundings, while something in a similar palette will help it blend seamlessly with your new structure.
You might also want to take the opportunity to explore new styles for your skylight. For example, if you had a lantern-shaped structure before, you might want to try a pyramid style for a more dramatic look.
Talk to the experts
Before embarking on a new roof, we recommend getting an opinion on your skylight from our team. We can tell you honestly if you’d be better off keeping your original skylight or investing in a new one.
We have over 15 years of experience in supplying the highest quality skylights. Whether this is a new venture or you’ve already added a skylight to your home, we’re on hand to answer any questions you may have.