Save Money with an 'Enlightened' Roof - and Decorate Too

    FORT MILL, SC, August 03, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Enlightenment isn't just a state of mind - it can also be an important energy-saving state of being for your home's roof.

By "enlightening" your roof, you can use less energy, save money, and dress up the interior of your home at the same time.

All roofs protect us, and the interiors of our homes, but they can do so much more. They can be the collection and distribution point for an inexhaustible supply of free natural light and energy.

A roof with Energy Star qualified no leak solar powered fresh air skylights for instance, admits healthful natural light while providing passive ventilation through the natural "chimney or stack effect" of rising air when the units are open. This is not an insignificant consideration, especially in kitchens and baths, which have higher moisture and humidity levels than other areas of the home.

Both the solar powered skylights and installation, as well as solar powered blinds, are eligible for a 30 percent federal tax credit meaning that homeowners can receive an average of $850 of federal tax credit eligibility, making the whole fresh air skylight package very affordable.

"In some cases," says Ross Vandermark, national product manager for skylight manufacturer VELUX America, "it can actually be less expensive, when the tax credit eligibility is considered, for a homeowner to have a no leak solar powered fresh air skylight installed rather than a fixed, manual venting or electric venting model. They can gain the benefits of daylighting, ventilation, and all the upgrades and automatic features of a top-of-the-line model for less, or for a negligible increase in cost.

"Solar powered blinds, in decor enhancing colors and patterns, which also are eligible for the tax credit, can be added," Vandermark says. "This combination will provide homeowners with the ultimate skylight package for energy efficient natural light control, a passive fresh air source, and decorating."

For details and access to an easy-to-use federal tax credit estimator for new construction or replacement installations, homeowners can visit http://www.veluxusa.com/consumer/products/taxcredits.aspx.

Another kitchen- and bath-specific issue that skylights address is privacy. Many modern homes are built on small lots, in very close proximity to neighboring houses. "Light from windows is rarely enough, especially in places where lot sizes are small," says Jennifer Powers of design firm Scott-Ulmann.

Areas of the home where traditional skylights might not work - such as hallways, closets and small, interior baths - can still admit natural light through less expensive Sun Tunnel tubular skylights. And optional light kits turn these units into 24-hour sources of light.

Low-profile flat glass models that blend unobtrusively with the roof, as well as domed models, all offer a fast, easy, less expensive way to transform a home with natural light. And light controlling blind disks are available for the units, as well.

In addition to light and ventilation from above, if you add an Energy Star qualified solar water heating system (link to: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index) your roof will work even harder for you. And, in addition to monthly power bill savings, these solar thermal systems qualify for tax credits and other savings that significantly reduce the payback time it takes to recover the initial cost.

Solar power attic fans are also a cost-effective roof addition that help to reduce mechanical cooling costs while removing damaging moisture from the home.

In addition to the functional qualities these and other roof improvements offer, there are also aesthetic considerations.

Skylights offer room-changing drama and decorating flair while adding natural light from above. And skylight blinds, in colors and pattern choices to mix and match with room decor, give homeowners another interior design tool. Blinds not only dress up a room but also provide light control while increasing the energy efficiency and usefulness of skylights.

According to Velux America, the addition of blinds can increase the overall energy efficiency of the units by 37 percent. They recommend closing the blinds on high heat/sun days in the summer to reduce potential solar heat gain and, on cold winter nights, closing them to provide an extra layer of thermal insulation to keep warm air indoors. Skylight blinds, as well as the units themselves, can be controlled manually or with a remote.

Modern, low profile skylights are unobtrusive and as dependable as vertical windows. Information about units with a 10-year no-leak installation warranty, plus an installer locator, is available at veluxusa.com. There's also a free mobile phone app there to help homeowners see how skylights and blinds would look in rooms in their own homes.

The Velux Skylight Planner App (link to: http://www.veluxusa.com/morevelux/news/news_media/iphone_apps) is available for iPhones, iPods, iPads and Android devices.

For government information on window and skylight energy efficiency visit energystar.gov, and for independent agency information visit nfrc.org or efficientwindows.org. For remodeling information visit nahb.org/remodel or greenhomeguide.org.

Media Contact:
Keith Hobbs - Business Services Associates, Inc. - 9413 Greenfield Drive -
Raleigh, NC 27615-2306 - Phone - 919.844.0064 - E-mail - [email protected]

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