Feature

• Thermal insulation (Argon filled LoE3)
• UV Protection
• 20 Year Warranty
• Provides clear natural light
• NEAT® Glass coating
• Three Laminated glass panels
• Sound insulation
• Safety

Benefit

• 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

Feature

• Price can be 30% to 50% higher
• Weight - Glass is much heavier than acrylic
• Curb must be stronger
• Size limitations

Benefit

• Glass skylights over 4 feet are generally more expensive than 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”

Feature

• Cheaper by about half
• Light weight
• Color
• Shape
• Size

Benefit

• Larger acrylic sizes generally cost less than 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

Feature

• Commercial Product
• Limited Warranty
• Susceptible to Sun Damage
• Discoloration
• No thermal or UV protection
• Noisy

Benefit

• 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 frame causing leaks
• Eventually acrylic skylights 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