Energy Efficiency with Skylight Shades
Skylight shades are usually made from cellular shades, a type of shade that looks like a common pleated shade but is actually compromised of multiple layers of fabric that trap air between the window and the room. Because these shades are made of multiple channels of air, or “cells”, they can provide additional energy savings and prevent excess energy loss through your skylights.
Much like double-paned windows help reduce energy bills, cellular skylight shades can help reduce heating and cooling costs, too. These unique window shades provide a barrier of air between the room and your skylight window. This barrier helps provide insulation to your skylight so less energy is lost through the window. This is especially important in seasons where the air inside your home is a drastically different temperature than the air outside. Skylight shades can help you save money on your heating bills in the winter and your cooling bills in the summer by insulating your skylights against heat transfer.
Skylight shades also provide energy savings by eliminating direct sunlight during summer months. Although skylights can help heat your home in the winter by channeling the sun's rays into your room, this is not ideal for hot summers when you'd rather have a cool house. Skylight shades give you the option of either diffusing this natural light or blocking it altogether. By choosing skylight shades that diffuse the natural light, you maintain the atmosphere of warm sunlight while eliminating the passive warmth that comes with direct sun. The insulating qualities of cellular skylight shades further prevent warming to your home while providing you with a comfortable, elegant window shade that matches your existing décor.
If you decide to eliminate the sunlight altogether, room darkening skylight shades provide even greater degrees of light control. These dark shades contain the same insulating cells as light diffusing skylight shades but, instead of filtering light, they block all sunlight from entering the room. This option is ideal for media rooms and bedrooms as well as any room you wish to block from sunlight during warmer times of the year. The wide variety of colors and opacities give you all the options you need for any skylight in your home.