Natural light coming in through skylights.

Considering getting a skylight for your home? Trying to decide which type to get? Or perhaps you don’t know much about skylights and are hoping to learn more. You’ve come to the right place! When it comes to the types of skylights available, you have a number of different options.

Whether you want to add a skylight to your roof or a room upstairs that doesn’t get a lot of natural light, you have several different types to choose from.

Types of Skylights: Operation & Materials

No matter which style you choose from, your skylight will either be fixed or ventilating and consist of glass or plastic (acrylic).

Fixed skylight: Fixed skylights don’t open at all and are, therefore, extremely energy-efficient. They are perfect for kitchens, home offices, hallways, living rooms, etc.

Ventilating skylight: As the name suggests, a ventilating skylight can be opened. Ventilating skylights are ideal for areas where a lot of moisture accumulates, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms, etc.

Tubular skylight: The newest types of skylight available, tubular skylights are small circular skylights that typically are installed in smaller areas – such as hallways and small rooms – where traditional skylights can’t fit.

Types of Skylights: Styles

When it comes to the style, there are many different types of skylights:

Flat: One of the most common types of skylights, flat skylights can be either fixed or ventilating. They have a piece of glass or acrylic that lies relatively flat against your roof.

Dome: Dome skylights are similar to flat skylights, except that they round up into a dome shape past the surface of the roof.

Pyramid: These types of skylights extend out from your roof in a simple four-triangle pyramid. Pyramid skylights, though not as popular for homes, can be found on many commercial buildings with flat roofing – warehouses, schools, office buildings, etc.

Round: Like the name sounds, round skylights are in the shape of a half-sphere and can add unique architecture to any home.

There are other styles that are rarely used in residential projects – these commercial skylight styles include hip ridge, ridge and barrel vault.

Skylight Installation in MD, DC & VA

VELUX is the one of the most well-known manufacturers of skylights, and they offer a wide variety. In addition to different types of skylights, they also provide convenient skylights accessories such as solar blinds, controls, etc.

Although Shanco often recommends VELUX and Wasco skylights, we can install other types of skylights as well. If you need new windows in Rockville, Gaithersburg or anywhere else in the surrounding areas, we have you covered. Contact us today to learn more about the different types of skylights we install!