When the sun is shining, you may notice that you feel better. Sunlight provides our bodies with proper Vitamin D synthesis, which allows the body to absorb calcium and other nutrients. The sunlight can mentally and physically make your body feel better, which is why it is a good idea to consider using sunlight to light your home. Skylights can provide your home with a feeling of openness, and will allow you to enjoy the sunlight year-round.
Using Sunlight
Several remodeling firms focus on enhancing homes through sunlight. They install adequate lighting methods in the home to help the sunlight reach the dark hallways and other areas where it may be impossible to create a window for light. Some methods designers use to add sunlight in the home include creating transoms above doors, adding French doors, and using wide banks of windows in all rooms.
Adding a larger window to a room is a great way to invite the light inside; you can then use mirrors to help reflect the light through hallways and into other rooms. It all comes down to proper positioning of the windows and mirrors to receive the right lighting. The important thing you must remember when working on a renovation is to use energy-efficient windows to keep your energy costs under control.
Adding Windows
Some of the areas where you will need to add windows include the shower, hallways facing exterior walls, skylights, windows above kitchen cabinets, and on entrance doors. You will need to get creative for the basement, as it will be harder to light this area with only sunlight. Basements will need windows to bring in the light, and you can use French doors on a walkout basement level.
Other dark spaces can be illuminated through the use of sun tubes or tunnels. They work well as an alternative option when you are unable to bring sunlight directly into that space. Use skylights as much as possible to bring the sun into the home. Skylights help to give your home a feeling of openness, and it may feel larger with the skylights.
Moving Light
To get the sunlight throughout the home, you must be able to open your home up. If you have hallways and walls that are not weight bearing, consider knocking them out. Even if you leave a wall post up, moving walls will allow the light to travel throughout the home. Positioning mirrors to reflect the light off each other can help to illuminate a room, giving you plenty of lighting in all areas of the home.
Harvesting Energy
Modern technology can provide homeowners with a number of options when it comes to storing energy. Solar panels will allow you to move your home from the traditional consumption of energy to the use of sunlight to power your home. Solar panels can be installed on the roof, which is ideal to capture the maximum amount of solar energy. You can also install them on the walls of the home, or in the yard where they will have direct access to the sun. While you light your home with windows, you can still use the energy of the sun to power other lights inside the home.
This article was provided by Charity Bailey, current Environmental Studies major and advocate for sustainable housing. If you’re interested in installing sunlights and other solar-fueled home lighting, Charity recommends including re-roofing and new roof installations options as well.
