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When replacing your skylights, pick energy-efficient skylights with a wood or vinyl frame

Energy-efficient skylights can make your home quieter and more comfortable, reduce condensation, improve fire safety, and cut back on furniture-fading UV rays.

Costs Annual Savings Time
DIY*: varies money*: varies DIY*: 40-60 hours
Pro*: varies CO2*: varies  
   
Difficulty Recurrence  
hard None  
 

Replacing Skylight Energy-efficient skylights can provide energy perks and several glaze options...much like donuts. Two or three coats of insulating glaze work to prevent fogging and hold in the jelly, er, any low-conductivity gas between the glass. (Make sure new skylights have a good warranty against air seal loss so you maintain those benefits.) Energy-efficient skylights are also made of thicker glass than standard skylights, and they can brighten your home and make it more comfortable year-round like energy-efficient windows.
When buying energy-efficient skylights, choose a double-pane, solar-control low-E, aluminum skylight. Also pick skylights with air leakage ratings that are low—between 0.01 and 0.06 cfm/ft. Need help navigating all these skylight specifications? The National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) label can help compare performance and other features of energy-efficient skylights.

How To

1. Energy Star skylights vary by region, so use Energy Star's handy skylight manufacturer search to find qualified skylights in your area.
2. Go to a hardware or window store or shop online to find the skylights you want.
3. Arrange to have your new, energy-efficient skylights professionally installed so it's done correctly and the warranty isn't voided (as it could be if skylights aren't properly installed).

Tips and Tricks

Choose a skylight appropriate for your climate. Make sure skylights are appropriate for your region by reading the climate region map on Energy Star skylight labels. They indicate which of four broad climate regions the skylight applies to: Northern, North/Central, South/Central, or Southern.
Types of skylights that minimize heat. If summer heat gain is a problem in your house, look for skylights with low-e coatings, especially spectrally selective low-e coatings, which significantly reduce solar heat gain and improve insulation without affecting visible light or color. Tinted skylights also reduce solar heat gain, but they provide less light.

* The amounts referenced are estimates and can vary significantly. Read our FAQ for more information.