Adding a skylight to your kitchen is a great way to bring in more natural light while maintaining privacy, but what type of skylight is going to be best for your home? One of the most fundamental decisions you'll need to make is between vented or fixed skylights. The difference is easy enough to understand. While a fixed skylight cannot be opened, a vented skylight can be opened and closed either manually or through electric control.
Fixed skylights certainly have their own advantages and are often the preferred option for many rooms in the home, but vented skylights are particularly beneficial for kitchens. Here are just a few reasons why.
Helps Control Changing Temperatures
The most obvious benefit of a vented skylight also tends to be the most compelling. Since they can be opened and closed, they're very good for maintaining a comfortable temperature. Since heat rises, opening a lower window along with your vented skylight will naturally push hot air up and out of a room while drawing in cooler air from outside. This can be nice for any room, but it's particularly attractive for kitchens since cooking can rapidly increase the temperature, especially when you're working in a smaller kitchen.
Helps Control Moisture
Moisture is more likely to build up in the kitchen than in most other rooms, and trapped moisture can lead to anything from mould to structural damage. You clearly don't want your kitchen to harbour mould, and fitting a vented skylight can help. Increased airflow will move that moisture out of the room and prevent it from building up in the corners of your ceiling.
Helps Prevent Lingering Smells
The smell of freshly cooked food is wonderful, but lingering smells can be a problem in kitchens. When you come into the room the next day, the smell of yesterday's dinner probably won't be as appetizing. Adding ventilation through a vented skylight can help get rid of those odours much faster than simply opening windows along lower levels.
Helps Remove Smoke
Even the most experienced cooks can sometimes leave something in the oven or in a pan too long and find themselves in a smoky kitchen. This isn't just annoying at the time – it can also impact your health and damage your property. Since smoke rises, traditional windows aren't great at removing it from a room. Vented skylights are much better. You'll be surprised just how fast a room clears of smoke once one has been opened.
Reach out to a skylight installation contractor to learn more.