There’s a reason why natural light is one of the main features emphasized during property listings. Natural light makes space appear bigger, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Maximizing exposure to daylight can even benefit our health and our energy efficiency. That’s why investing in upgrades that increase sunlight is always worth it, whether it’s new windows, patio doors, open-concept layouts or a skylight. Read on to learn more about the benefits that natural light brings to your home.
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Keeps Your Home Comfortable Year-Round
The sun is a natural heat source which means it can be used to create a more consistent temperature inside any time of year. Whether it’s summer or winter, you can be strategic with your design by installing larger windows, back patio doors, or a skylight to let in as much daylight inside to keep your home warm in the winter and cooler in summer.
It’s More Energy Efficient and Helps You Save Money
Upgrading your windows, doors, and skylights can save you money on energy usage and monthly energy bills. Newer models today maximize the amount of daylight filtering inside while providing superior insulating properties to reduce air leaks and heat transfer. Natural light is much more sustainable for maintaining consistent temperatures, benefiting you, your wallet, and the environment.
Benefits Health and Well-being
Exposure to natural light not only benefits the home. It also benefits our physical and mental health too. Ever notice how much better you feel when you’re out in the sun or even lounging next to a sunny window? You can thank vitamin D for that which we naturally absorb from the sun. Not getting enough sunlight can cause a deficiency in vitamin D, which promotes depression and anxiety. Since sunlight naturally stimulates many of our vital systems throughout the body, and since we tend to spend the majority of our time indoors, it’s important to consider how to maximize it at home. More exposure to sunlight has been shown to improve our ability to focus better on tasks, increase productivity levels, balance out our circadian rhythm, and more.
Adds Value to Your Home
Ask any real estate agent about the impact of natural light on selling, and they’ll tell you it’s their most popular buzzword, aside from “location.” When you walk into a brightly lit interior, it immediately looks and feels appealing, which is why it’s always reflected in the selling price. So, if you ever plan to sell your home, you can increase its value by adding natural light. Adding a skylight to a room with only one exterior window can be a great way to do this while maintaining privacy from neighbours.
Lowers Bills by Improving Energy Efficiency
One of the best benefits of natural light at home is the fact that it helps to reduce energy bills. Why? Because having a brighter interior means you don’t need to use as much artificial lighting. This is especially true for open-concept layouts. Plus, with patio doors and bigger windows, you can improve air circulation, reducing the need for an energy-guzzling air conditioner.
Makes Rooms Appear More Spacious
You can also be strategic with natural light by utilizing it in smaller or darker rooms. For example, placing a skylight in a small bathroom or bedroom can dramatically improve the aesthetics of the space dramatically and make it appear larger. This way, you can retain the same functionality of the room without having to sacrifice space in another room to make the bathroom bigger.
Helps Balance Mood
When we’re cooped up inside in a dark environment, it escalates feelings of melancholy, anxiety and depression. Many studies have shown the negative impacts that the long, dark winter months can have on our mental health, which contributes to Seasonal Affective Disorder, affecting millions each year. Conversely, being exposed to natural light helps to balance our moods and emotions. If your home tends to feel dark and confined, we highly recommend installing a sunroom, skylight or patio doors if possible to help stave off those winter blues.
If you’re planning a new home design with skylights included, or if you’re considering an upgrade for your current one that will keep your home airtight, our team at Roofmaster can help. Contact us today to learn more or to get a quote!
