Daylighting Tips That Improve Your Home’s Energy-Efficiency

Daylighting is an effective way to use natural light coming from your window, skylight, or patio door instead of flipping a light switch. Your home can also become more energy-efficient when you maximize your windows for daylight distribution. Our expert window installers at Renewal by Andersen® of Alaska explains how you can do this:

Control Glare With Envelope Features

Having too much glare from direct sunlight will make it difficult to read your computer screen, so naturally, you’d be closing the blinds of your windows for more visual comfort. However, this also means you’ll be missing out on the daylighting benefits.

To control glare without sacrificing daylight distribution, consider adding or making use of your window’s existing envelope structures. This includes splayed/deep reveals and exterior fins, which should be around nine to 12 inches (or 23 to 30 centimeters) deep for them to be effective. They should also be at an angle of 60 degrees to your windowpane. 

Add More Windows

Of course, you can consult with your trusted window replacement contractor about how you can retrofit envelope features to your windows to maximize daylight distribution. But you might also be considering adding more windows. This can be possible depending on your home’s structure, but it’s also a great solution to add more natural lighting if you don’t mind the added cost. For instance, picture windows and skylights are popular choices that help bring in more daylight to areas that usually don’t have any windows such as enclosed spaces and hallways.

Rearrange Your Interiors

If adding more windows isn’t an option, you can always try remodeling your home’s interiors to accommodate more natural light. When you work with a trusted contractor who can come up with a design plan, make sure the space is more open to allowing more light without any obstructions. You can also rearrange your furniture to keep them from blocking out any natural light coming from your windows.

As a reputable contractor for replacement windows in the area, Renewal by Andersen of Alaska only provides the best products for your home. Call us at (404) 491-0124 or you can visit our website. We serve our customers in Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula, The Valley, Fairbanks, and surrounding AK areas.