Contemporary Breezway Fakro skylights featuring superior glazing, enhanced weather seals and beautifully lacquered timber finishes are proving popular with homeowners wanting to encourage more natural light into their homes.

A stylish and stunning addition to any home, Breezway Fakro skylights bring vibrant daylight and picture quality sky vistas into otherwise dreary living spaces.

Fixed or opening skylights are available to suit individual requirements.

Fixed skylights are ideal for brightening dim corridors, dark stairways, bleak living spaces and areas where additional ventilation is not required.

Opening skylights allow subtle breezes to circulate through the home while filling the room with additional light.

Award-winning Brisbane-based architect Daniel R Fox said consumers were open to the suggestion of incorporating skylights in contemporary home design.

Skylights can literally bring a room to life and have the ability to change the dynamics and ambience of an enclosed space.

Even contemporary homes have passages that can become enclosed at particular times of the day ? skylights can give life to a stale, pokey space,? he said.

Fox said skylights could be particularly beneficial in double-storey homes.

If the design is right, a skylight has the potential to add light to lower storeys, making them perfect for raised homes,? he said.

As the international market leader of louvre windows for more than 50 years, Breezway has conducted extensive research and development to ensure its range of windows accommodates Australia’s harsh environmental conditions.

Breezway Fakro Skylights use a combination of a low e coating on the glass and wide double glazing to reduce the transfer of heat through the skylight to ensure homes stay cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

Skylight flashings ensure an unobtrusive and enduring water-tight fit in the roof system, passing stringent water tightness tests in Australia.

Fitted with good gaskets for draining moisture, the exterior of the skylight is clad with UV and weather resistant polyester coated cappings for maximum longevity under the elements.

Manufactured from fine materials using new technology, Breezway Fakro Skylights combine functionality with style - letting you live in a brighter world filled with abundant natural light and crystal clear sky views.

Source: http://www.infolink.com.au

Installation of skylights involve expert skills and above average workmanship. In order to ensure that you can protect your roof from the installation, it is recommended that you get the services of professional roofers. Unless you have superior skills in roofing constructions, doing it yourself or employing a local handyman may cause damage to your roof, to its structure, and to the integrity of your house?s interiors.

Poorly installed skylights are the most common sources of leaks. Improper installation of skylight step flashings and roof flashings over shingles can cause breaks in your roofing materials. These breaks are normal entry point of water and when it rains, you better prepare a bucket to catch water droplets from your skylights. So to be sure about your new roof construction, get the services of professional roofing contractor.

Not all skylight designs and types are the same. Some skylights fit a particular roof structure while others may not. You could have installed a nice skylight but it might not be compatible with the main structural design of your roofing. Aside from improper installation, choosing the wrong skylight for your roof is the next problem area. If you installed the wrong skylight to your roof the chances of having roof leaks can happen sooner or later. That is why the services of a roofing contractor are essential.

Professional evaluation will be made first by your contractor to determine the build and structures of your roof. This evaluation will be used in order to choose what particular skylight design is appropriate for your roof. They could offer you several builds that will be suited for your roof. So you don?t have to worry anymore if you have chosen the correct skylight for your roof or not. The professionals will do it for you. All you have to do is to choose which style of skylight best suits your character.

A skylight is an excellent addition to your roofing aesthetics. It also has practical uses such as additional illumination and heating during summer. Some people say that skylights often cause leaks. That idea is a myth because skylight per se does not cause leaks. Improper installation and inappropriate skylight materials are the ones causing the leaks. So to be sure about proper skylight installation, you must have a professional roofing contractor do the work for you. You will definitely have a leak-free skylight not to mention the elegance it will bring to your home.

Source: http://freearticles-ph.blogspot.com/

Many loft conversions use individual dormer windows for the added space and character they bring to a loft.

Dormers and dormer windows

Dormer windows increase the space at head height in strategic places in a loft.

For example, in an en suite or midway along a bare wall where they break the line of a solid sloping wall and provide a vertical viewing window that also conforms to safety requirements.

Dormer windows are useful additions to loft conversions as they enhance the internal and external character of a property, unlike roof skylights.

Loft Survey

The first stage when planning an attic conversion with dormer loft windows is to have conducted a loft survey.

Lofts need sufficient height to be eligible, too low and planning approval will be refused.

Minimal height - roof windows

Crown copyright

Internal loft height should be a minimum of 1.8 m minimum at the edge of a stair with 1.9 m at the centre line if the ceiling is sloping in order to meet building regulations approval for height.

See page 7 of Approved Document Part K for diagram and explanation. Low lofts can now be developed for habitable use, adding significantly to the functionality and value of your home.

If your loft is below minimum then you may be able to raise the height of the roof or lower the ceilings of lower rooms.

In assessing the general condition of your loft we thoroughly survey and inspect the roof to identify any damage, decay or structural problems which may affect your roof.

This ensures that the price quoted accurately reflects the work required and cost of materials.

Dormer Construction

Each dormer is individually constructed to architectural plans and building regulations to ensure the structural integrity of the roof is not compromised.

Dormer windows are constructed by creating a frame within the roof. The dormer sides (cheeks) are built up from the existing roof rafters, even for the gently styled eyebrow dormer.

An initial loft survey is used to assess the condition of roof, roof rafters, building structure and suitable design options.

Source: http://www.above-it-all.co.uk

People usually know what they want when it comes to selecting doors and windows, but skylights occupy a more mysterious niche. Inaccessible and above the fray, skylights just sit up there in your roof. What makes one preferable to the next and how it?s installed are questions most of us leave unanswered.

Yet more skylights are appearing in houses all the time. With choices expanding, many homeowners are convinced that one skylight isn’t enough. There’s a growing trend to install several skylights throughout a home, not just in the kitchen or bath, says James Rice, an architect in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The selection process is easier than many homeowners think because almost any skylight can work if it’s properly installed. So let’s head up to the roof.

FIRST PRIORITY: NO LEAKS

If you’re not going the DIY route, hire a skylight specialist. Someone who?s an excellent roofer or general carpenter might not have much experience installing skylights, says Chris Stathopulo of C & L Remodeling, a Dallas, Texas, company with 20 years in the skylight business. Ninety-nine percent of skylight problems are caused by the installation, not the skylight itself, he says.

Skylights are installed in one of two ways, either directly on the deck with mounting brackets or on a boxlike frame called a curb. Curb-mounted skylights are best for roofs that have a shallow pitch, says Alan Foss, owner of Foss Remodeling and Design in Buffalo Grove, Ill. ?Another place I use curb-mounted skylights, he says, is near sidewalls that increase runoff toward the skylight.? Building up the curb height helps to keep the skylight above water that is running down the roof.

Curb-mounted units have step flashing around the frame to shed water. The flashing is made up of top and bottom caps, and L-shaped side pieces that are woven into the shingle courses. Deck-mounted skylights are installed with step flashing, too. Flashing kits are available for various roof types such as tile, metal and shakes. You?ll also find easy-to-install self-flashing models that are suitable for asphalt-shingle roofs.

THE DIY SOLUTION

If you do the job yourself, choose a product with clear installation instructions, which you can check at a manufacturer’s Web site or by calling its customer support number. An incorrect installation may cause leaks and void the skylight?s warranty.

Here’s another installer’s trick that keeps a skylight high and dry: Install a waterproof underlayment before the flashing and shingles go on.

The adhesive-back underlayment runs from the plywood roof sheathing up the sides of the curb and effectively seals the hole cut in the roof, explains Todd Brown, vice president of Pacific Northwest Skylights, a Kirkland, Wash., firm that installs 500 skylights a year. Brown says watertight installation is ensured by wrapping the entire skylight assembly with the material.

Source: www.popularmechanics.com

Strešné okno FTT Termo je novým výrobkom špeciálnej konštrukcie, ktorá výrazne prispieva k vysokej úspore tepelnej energie a predurčuje ho k použitiu v moderných nízkoenergetických domácnostiach a pasívnych domoch.

Správnym osadením okna a montážou s využitím dodatočných zatepľovacích prvkov získame celkovo veľmi dobré termoizolačné parametre a najvyššiu -4. triedu nepriezvučnosti.

Použité izolačné trojsklo sa skladá z troch tvrdených skiel o hrúbke 4mm. Vnútorné a vonkajšie sklo je vybavené reflexnou vrstvou.

Priestor medzi sklami je vyplnený kryptónom. Tvar dištančných rámikov TGI, vyrobených z polypropylénu a tenké kovové vrstvy zaručujú dosiahnutie výborných energetických parametrov zasklenia Uskla=0,50 W/m2

Rám krídla je oproti bežným modelom strešných okien takmer o 30% silnejší a zvyšuje tepelné vlastnosti celého okna.

Tesnosť zaručuje systém štyroch tesnení. Pre zabezpečenie požiadaviek na úsporu tepelnej energie, stáva sa štandardom použitie špeciálnych montážnych doplnkov ? paropriepustného goliera XDP a parotesného goliera XDS.

Strešné okná sa stali neodmysliteľnou súčasťou moderného stavebníctva. Ponúkajú nové možnosti súčasnej architektúre a zaujímavé riešenia exteriérov a interiérov. Užijúc strešné okná pri rekonštrukcii nevyužitých podkroví ľahko zmeníme tieto priestory na pracovňu, obývaciu miestnosť, spálňu

As the air inlet is positioned at the top of the frame, Fakro roof windows have a 6% greater surface area when compared with similar window sizes from other manufacturers.

Fakro Attic Stairs consists of three folding sections made of pine wood.

The ladder provides easy and safe access to attic. The space saving ladder neatly folds away in to the ceiling. Our insulated - sealed lid save your energy without buying extra insulating attic cover.
Metal handrail is FREE accessory added for you to guarantee your safety and functionality. Also high quality of the stairs, durability, high comfort of use and simplicity of installation make our attic stairs very valuable and attractive.

Within the overall architectural design of a building, particular attention is given to daylighting when the aim is to maximize visual comfort, productivity, or to reduce energy use. Energy savings from daylighting are achieved in two ways - either from the reduced use of electric lighting, or from passive solar heating or cooling.

Skylights are often used for daylighting. Skylights admit more light per unit area than windows, and distribute it more evenly over a space. They can therefore be a good choice when daylight is being used to illuminate a space. The optimum number of skylights (usually quantified as ?effective aperture?) varies according to climate, latitude, and the characteristics of the skylight, but is usually 1-10% of floor area. The thermal performance of skylights is affected by stratification, i.e. the tendency of warm air to collect in the skylight wells, which in cool climates increases the rate of heat loss. During warm seasons, skylights also can cause internal heat problems, which is usually treated by placing a shade over the skylight, or by opening it if it is openable.

The amount of light skylights deliver peaks around midday, when the additional light and heat it provides is least needed. Some skylight designs use domed or pyramidal shapes along with prismatic or other light-redirecting glazings to achieve more even light levels through the course of a day. Poorly constructed or installed skylights may have leak problems and single-paned ones may weep with condensation. Using skylights with at least two panes and a heat reflecting coating will increase their energy efficiency. Skylights may also be more prone to breakage than vertical windows.

The skylight topic is controversial. Although roof-angled glass provides good daylighting, it can also create a solar furnace in the summer (when the sun is nearly perpendicular), and then lose more solar gain than it captures (when the low winter sun reflects off of it,and warm interior air rises to touch the cold glass on winter nights). Heating and cooling costs for a building are normally greater than the value of skylight daylighting, especially when modern energy-efficient lighting systems are employed.

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Source: Wikipedia.org

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