Natural Lighting in Your Home

When it comes to “going green” in our homes, the idea of using natural lighting seems to make high good sense.  However, the cost savings are not as significant as they are for increasing the use of natural lighting in business and commercial locations, where daytime lighting is more necessary and simple on/off controls are not always possible.  In your home, you can simply turn off the lights in a room when not in use.

However, you can still achieve some energy savings with more natural light and there are other benefits as well.  You’ve probably visited a friend or relatives home where lights in certain rooms are on during the day, with the window coverings closed.  The solution is too obvious to bear mentioning, but we’ll point it out anyway:  open the window coverings!  Raise the blinds or draw the drapes!  And before you look into retrofitting your home, take advantage of the natural light that is already available to you.

First, trim the bushes and trees that may be partially blocking windows in your home.  In addition, if you have climbing vines on your home it is inevitable they will begin to cover your windows as well as your walls over time.  Trim them back to let more light into your home.  When it comes to adding more natural light to your home, you have four retrofitting (or renovating) options:

1. Install Larger Windows.
2. Install Skylights.
3. Install Solar Tube Lighting.
4. Install Doors with Glass Panels and Side Lites.

Larger Windows

Modern technology has dramatically increased the energy efficiency of window glass and other insulating materials.  Once upon a time, the idea of a wall of windows meant astronomical heating and cooling costs, but no more.  Now you can add windows in a virtually unlimited variety of sizes and styles.

Skylights

Skylights are also more energy efficient today and they are a terrific source of natural light in hallways and other areas where it is not possible to add windows.  Skylights have a great side benefit as well:  they can reduce your cooling costs.  Skylights come in both fixed styles – which can’t be opened – and ventilating styles – which open like windows.  An open skylight provides a means of cross ventilation in your home, which allows you to take advantage of cooling breezes instead of running your air conditioner 24/7 during heat spells.  They are easy to reach and open with extension rods and although expensive, they can be electrically wired to open and close with the flip of a switch.

Solar Tube Lighting

A newcomer to the world of natural lighting techniques, solar tubes are like small, circular skylights that have the advantage of being able to direct the light using solar capture and reflectors.  Skylights need a direct path from the roof to the area to be lighted but solar tubes are not so limited.  In addition, they claim to be less prone to leaking problems that are common with some skylights.

Glass Panel Doors

Another way to add natural light to your home is to change out your existing solid panel doors.  Doors now are available with a variety of glass panels, both small and large.  In addition, if you have the space, you can retrofit your entranceway with a glass paneled door and glass side lites, adding even more natural light.

If you decide to retrofit your home with larger glass openings, you should be aware that you will be sacrificing some privacy.  If you can see out more, others can see in; so depending on where you live, you’ll want to look into window and door coverings that can be easily closed and opened for those moments when you want privacy.