All You Need To Know Roof Windows

Skylights and roof lanterns fill a home with light to brighten a basement, enhance an extension or cheer up a dark corner

- Yvette Murrell

With their small windows and low ceilings, traditional country properties can be cosy – and dark. Which is why bringing in natural light and ventilation is often a priority when adding a new extension, carrying out a loft conversion, or simply renovating the existing space. Skylights, roof windows and lanterns are all popular solutions as they can be installed into both flat and pitched roofs, transforming the room more than a typical standard window would. They do, however, require specialist installation to ensure they are fitted safely and are watertight. Today, a wide range of materials and technology is available, allowing your new roof lights not only to blend in sympathetically with your country home but also to be operated via remote control, to help you manage ventilation, sunlight and privacy.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROOF WINDOWS, SKYLIGHTS AND LANTERNS?

Roof windows can be fitted to a pitched roof at an angle between 15 and 90 degrees. Building regulations state they must be installed in the same orientation as the roof plane, and no more than 150mm from it. These can be fixed or operable and are common in loft conversions.

Skylights, on the other hand, can be installed onto either a pitched or flat roof and are usually much larger than your typical roof window, allowing you to create an almost entirely glazed design. They are popular for new extensions, although any side-facing windows above 1.7 metres above the ground must be obscure-glazed.

Lanterns are better at channeling light than a flat skylight, and work well in garden room extensions. Thanks to their architectural pyramid shape, they can make a room feel bigger by adding height to the space.