One or more skylights can really brighten up your space. Bringing in a large dose of daylight provides many benefits for you to enjoy. Skylights are available in glass, plastic or a combination of the two materials. But what are the advantages of plastic skylights? Find out more here.
The benefits of daylight
Daylight is essential for our health, it helps us feel good and gives us energy and peace. And it's entirely free! Skylights let in plenty of natural daylight because the light comes from above and is three times stronger than light passing through a vertical window. Calculate how much daylight is needed in your building. Skylights come in plastic, glass or hybrid form. Each material has its own qualities. What are the characteristics of a plastic skylight?
Lightweight
Plastic is lighter in weight than glass, making it easy for the roofer to install alone or with a maximum of two people.
Large selection of shapes and sizes
Plastic skylights come in many shapes: square, round, rectangular, spherical or pyramid-shaped. This way you will always find one that fits your flat roof. The largest range consists of spherical skylights, presenting the advantage of a self-cleaning effect. Pyramid-shaped ones are more likely to be chosen for aesthetic reasons. There are more than 180 different sizes of rectangular, square and round skylights possible.
Strong and high-quality material
Plastic skylights are available in acrylic or polycarbonate. Both materials are very transparent and provide a lot of daylight. They also do not discolour under UV light. Plastic is very strong. For example, acrylic, better known as Plexiglas, is 10 times more impact-resistant than glass of comparable thickness. Do you really want an unbreakable dome? Then go for one in polycarbonate, which is up to 250 times more impact-resistant than glass of comparable thickness!
Excellent insulation
Skylights made of plastic have excellent insution values and usually have multiple dome walls. In the past, people often chose double-walled versions, but they no longer provide sufficient insulation for certain spaces. Regulations are becoming stricter too. There are skylights available with up to six dome walls! For refurbishments, it is better to choose a skylight with at least three dome walls and for new buildings, it is best to choose a version with at least four dome walls. Please note that the number of dome walls that are possible depends on the shape of the skylight.
Heat-reflective material
There are three types of plastic versions available: clear, opal or Heatstop. A skylight should not only insulate against cold, it also needs to block excessive heat. If a small amount of solar heat can come through, then choose a polycarbonate skylight that is diffuse opal. If you want as little solar energy as possible, then choose a polycarbonate Heatstop skylight. This skylight has a special layer over the plastic that is opal pearl tinted and largely blocks the sun's heat rays.
Budget-friendly
If you choose a plastic skylight, you will get high quality for an affordable price. So you don't necessarily have to choose a more expensive glass skylight.
