Glass verses Acrylic
GLASS SKYLIGHTS HAVE THE FOLLOWING FEATURES:
PROS
- Saves about $200 per year in heat loss/heat gain in our climate
- Prevents fabric from fading and wood from turning orange
- VELUX glass skylights carry a 20 year warranty on the glass (verses 5 years for acrylic)
- Glass panels allow virtually 100% of the natural light into the house and should remain clear forever
- Two coatings on the surface keep glass skylights cleaner
- VELUX laminated glass skylights have three panes of glass, one tempered and two laminated
- Laminated Glass skylights are 25 % quieter than regular glass and 50% quieter than acrylic domes
- It is very rare to find a laminated skylight broken, even rarer to find one penetrated all the way through
CONS
- Glass skylights over 4 feet are generally more expensive that acrylic, smaller units are often less that acrylic
- Weight is a factor when transporting and lifting a glass skylight onto a roof
- Glass skylights require a stronger curb
- Individual panels of glass skylights are limited in the size they can be made, generally about 76”
Acrylic skylights have the following features:
PROS
- Acrylic units in larger sizes generally cost less that glass units
- Easier to move, lift and install
- Available in several colors including clear, white and bronze
- Available as a dome, hip-ridge, round or pyramid depending on dimensions
- Acrylic skylights can be made much larger than glass units
CONS
- Acrylic skylights are a commercial product not recommended for residential application
- Acrylic skylights generally carry only a 5 year warranty but may last much longer
- Sunlight damages the acrylic causing it to rot and shrink from the clamping bar causing leaks
- Eventually acrylic skylight will lose their clarity and get cloudy or yellow
- Acrylic domes have virtually no thermal insulation which costs significant dollars in lost energy
- Plastic skylights transfer much more noise (rain, planes, trains) than insulated glass units