Rooflight Company

Glass rooflights on a flat roof should be a fitted to a minimum pitch of 3° to aid runoff and to stop water pooling on the unit.  Although the minimum pitch is 3° you may wish to consider a pitch of around 5° to ensure adequate runoff on larger skylights. The pitch of the unit rooflight is something that will affect your warranty so it is important to get this detail right when installing a new glass rooflight.  The minimum and maximum pitch required for rooflights differs between brands so please check individual products for more information.

All rooflights will require an element of cleaning as normal windows would. As a product that is fitted to the exterior of a property rooflights are susceptible to dirt debris and pollution build up which may affect the clarity of your glass skylight.  We are able to supply glass rooflights with an ‘easy-clean coating’ which can make the cleaning process easier. We would recommend thorough cleaning at least bi-annually using water and non-abrasive cleaners.  Full product specific maintenance information is available for each skylight we supply.

We can supply a wide variety of glass specs depending on your specific requirements.  Generally we supply double glazed laminated glass however if you need a different specification please talk to our team who will be able to advise which rooflight would best suit your design.  The majority of skylights we supply come with clear glass but other options are available on request.

Unless specifically quoted as a Walk On Specification rooflight then no a rooflight cannot be walked on.  A walk on rooflight is made up of a very thick glass spec (also known as class 0)so it is suitable for foot traffic, when asking for a quote for a walk on rooflight it is important to clarify if is a domestic or commercial building as this will affect the glass specification.

Glass rooflights can either be Fragile or Non-Fragile depending on the specification of glass used.  The most robust Non-Fragile glass is Class 0 and the are used in Walk On Glass skylights fitted in areas which a designed to have foot-fall such as a terrace. Class 1 glass is manufactured to be stood on infrequently for areas where occasional access is required for maintenance, they are not however to be used for every-day foot traffic. Class 2 glass is the most commonly used non-fragile classification, these rooflights are designed to stop a person falling through if they were to trip and fall onto the rooflight.  All rooflights have to go through testing to prove they achieve these specific class ratings. Class 3 glass is considered fragile and should only be installed where there is no chance of someone falling through the glass.

Modern domed rooflights are manufactured from hardwearing polycarbonate and all have a UV protective coating to stop them discolouring in the sun.  Previously dome skylights were commonly made from acrylic which would turn brown after years exposure to sunlight often leaving the rooflight looking unsightly.  Polycarbonate domes are guaranteed against discolouration for 20 years however they are expected to exceed this so you can feel safe in the knowledge that your rooflight will look exceptional for years to come.  For the UV coating to be effective the dome or pyramid must not be scratched or harmed in any way which may damage the UV coating.

Dome rooflights are an inexpensive way to bring light into your home or commercial building.  Made from durable non-fragile polycarbonate which has an impact strength up to 250 times greater than glass.  Available as a top only to retrofit to an existing upstand or complete with a PVC kerb for fitting directly to the roof.  We have a vast array of stock sizes available with different ventilation options along with bespoke polycarbonate rooflights available on request.

U Values are how heat loss is measured through roofs.  A U Value is shown in units of W/m²K and the lower the number the better the thermal performance of the rooflight is.  As a general rule rooflight for new domestic applications need to have a U value no higher than 1.8W/m²K.

Polycarbonate rooflight domes are available in four different thicknesses.  Single skin domes are only suitable for using in areas such as a shed outhouse or garage and are useful for letting in light where thermal properties are not important.  Double skin domes can be used when retrofitting a dome to an existing kerb they are better thermally than single skin domes but may still experience condensation.  For new builds triple skin dome rooflights are used to comply with pat L of the current building regulations.  Quad skin dome rooflights offer the highest thermal efficiency and may be an option if heat-loss is a particular concern.

A roof lantern is fitted to a flat roof and made of a number of glass panes and glazing bars, they are generally fixed but can come with manually or electrically opening sections for ventilation.  Roof lanterns are a great option for letting in large amounts of light and having opening sections gives the added functionality of providing ventilation area below.

We can offer roof lanterns with frames made from either hard-wearing PVC or powder coated aluminium.  The aluminium lanterns tend to have more minimalistic framework however if budget is a consideration it may be worth looking at a PVC framed lantern.  Whatever material you choose a roof lantern creates a fabulous focal point in your room and lets in a large amount of natural light.

The cost of a lantern if affected by a number of factors including the size, frame colour and material and whether vents are required. It goes without saying that the larger the roof lantern the more it will cost, we do have a range of standard sizes which would help to keep the cost of the unit down and these are generally available on shorter lead times.