How to install roof windows yourself

Recommendation points

• Skylights – evolution and challenges
• StarLite roof windows – new from Albion
• Installation of StarLite roof window on a roof covered with ceramic tiles
• Preparation of the opening in the roof slope
• Reducing the opening vertically
• Removing a glass unit from a box
• Installation of a window box in the opening
• Installation of a flashing for ceramic tiles
• Installation of a glass unit in a box
• Identification number and why you need it
• Conclusion (good advice)

Real estate experts estimate that converting an attic into a living space is a third cheaper than capital construction. It is not surprising that more and more owners are encouraged by the prospect of acquiring their own bohemian housing or expanding the boundaries of an existing apartment to roof level. And they face the biggest problem of any attic – natural light, which is impossible without installing roof windows.

Skylights – evolution and challenges

The roof window was invented just over 70 years ago. It was designed by the Dane Willum K. Rasmussen. And then he founded the first company that began to produce roof windows under his patent. She is flourishing and working to this day and is well known to Russians since 1991. VELUX is a recognized authority in the world of roof windows.

But what happened before Willum K. Rasmussen guessed to install a sash in a window box rotating about a central axis? Photo 1 shows a prototype of a roof window. This is the so-called attic hatch. They were installed on the roof slope not far from the chimneys so that the chimney sweep could get to the walkway, along which he walked from riser to riser. As you can see in the photo, the attic hatch has a flashing and binding with a single glass. The cover has a wavy shape, designed for installation under the tiles. To prevent snow and water from flowing into the hatch, its window part is raised above the plane of the frame. This element of construction is still present in roof windows! But the sash with glass is radically different from what is available today. This sash folds out to the side to provide a free passage for a person to the roof. The hatch is closed using a kind of latch, consisting of a metal pin on the flashing and an iron plate with holes, which is movably mounted on the hatch leaf. By aligning the holes on the plate with the pin, you can not only close the hatch, but also adjust the opening angle of the sash for ventilation in hot weather, for example.

The modern roof window contains only modifications, but its essence remains the same – it is a modernized roof hatch. Improvements are reduced to the following items:

• Glazing – a double-glazed unit made of durable glass, the inner space between which is filled with argon;
• The box and the binding, if they are made of wood, are made according to typesetting – adhesive technology with multi-layer impregnation and coating with special especially resistant varnishes. Often the tree is replaced by a plastic profile;
• The design of the hinges has changed. They allow the window sash with a central location not only to rotate freely 180 degrees, which is convenient in terms of maintaining the outer part of the window, but it is easy to remove the entire sash, which is convenient for going outside. There are hinges with an upper location and a locking mechanism that does not allow such doors to close spontaneously;
• Skylights can now be blocked horizontally and vertically to form large glazed surfaces;
• Equipped with a remote control with an electric drive made it possible to simplify the problem of opening high-placed windows;
• There are unusual modifications of the roof window: a balcony window and a light tunnel.

For a long time VELUX was practically a monopoly on the roof window market, and the price for them was determined only by the degree of modesty of the Danish mentality. In other words, they were very expensive, and even now they can be attributed in price to the category of royal goods. But other players appeared on the market, which made up worthy competition for the Danes. The leaders are the international concern FAKRO, created in 1991 and now occupying 15% of the world market of roof windows, and the German company ROTO, founded in 1935 by inventor Wilhelm Frank together with his wife.

StarLite roof windows – new from Albion

The British company StarLite has recently entered the European and Russian markets. But in her homeland and in Ireland she has established herself from the best side. It has a unique technology of vacuum impregnation of wood used in the production of binders and boxes, maintenance-free hinges that allow quick installation of a double-glazed window, its dismantling and rotation by 180 degrees.

A well-thought-out system of a ventilation valve with a filter ensures the flow of fresh air and its cleaning of dust and plant pollen. The glass unit is made of extra strong glass and is injected with argon. The glasses themselves, used in all models of roof windows, are made in an energy-saving version.

Windows are available in two versions – with an upper and a lower handle for opening the window in five standard sizes in each version.

The highlight of StarLite windows is the blinds built into the glass unit, a wide range of glass to choose from, the possibility of completing windows with an electric drive and accessories according to an individual plan. As well as a special system for planting the mounting corners, as well as such a system itself, which has no analogues.

The limitations include a small range of models. Windows are available in two versions – with an upper and a lower handle for opening the window in five standard sizes in each of the options. The model range has only windows with a central position of the axis. Lockable windows are also not produced..

With all of the above advantages and disadvantages, StarLite roof windows are affordable for everyone. So, the most popular model – a 550 x 980 mm window with an upper handle for opening it costs about $ 220. Which is one third lower than the price of Velux.

Installation of StarLite roof window on a roof covered with ceramic tiles

Preparation of the opening in the roof slope

Of course, it’s good when everything has its own time. Including the installation of roof windows, which is easiest to carry out when building a building or renovating a roof. In these cases, it is easy to install the frames and fit the roofing material to them. But the beauty of skylights is that they can be installed at any time, even though this is associated with a lot of labor and time. Consider the most difficult option for installing a roof window – under ceramic tiles.

So, photo 2 shows the packaging of the StarLite roof window, and photo 3 shows the packaging of the frame for it. When buying, you need to pay special attention to the fact that the flashing is suitable for your type of roof. For flat roofing materials, one type of flashing is required, and for corrugated (ceramic tiles refers to those) – another.

Installation of a roof window begins with choosing a place for it and preparing the opening. The easiest way is to install a window between the rafters. Considering that the distance between the rafters is on average 60 cm, all manufacturers mainly produce windows with a box width of 550 mm.

If you need to install a wider window, then you need to cut out a fragment of the rafter from one side and rearrange it further along the crate, which will not have a very favorable effect on the bearing capacity of the roof. Therefore, if the dormer window is installed in an existing roof, it is better to choose a window size that is suitable for the width so that it fits between the rafters without transferring a fragment.

Photo 4 shows a section of a tiled roof from the inside in the place where you want to install a window. The distance between the rafters is 62 cm. The width of the window frame is 550 mm. The rafters have a slight deviation from the vertical, but in general this deviation does not exceed the difference of 7 cm between the width of the window box and the distance between the rafters.

Work begins by removing the tiles at the installation site and two tiles to the left and right of the opening. This operation is performed from the inside. Photo 5 shows one tile removed, and Photo 6 shows all required tiles removed. After that, you need to cut out the extra tile bars in the opening so that the window stands on top of the existing block, and below – on the added one, since the window cannot be adjusted in height in multiples of the step of the bars, because the size of the tiles can be very different. The finished opening with sawed out extra bars is shown in photo 7.

Reducing the opening vertically

You can reduce the vertical opening by placing a bar of the same size at the required distance from the upper bar (in this case, it is 1 m). It should be longer than the width of the opening so that it extends to the left and right behind the rafters by at least 10 cm on each side. The lower part of the window box will rest on this bar. It is important that the block is the same thickness as the old block removed from this location. The addition of the bottom support bar is shown in photo 8.

Removing a glass unit from a box

The installation of a roof window can be divided into two stages: installation of the box and installation of the flashing. StarLite window frame with a central pivot axis is equipped with hinges with a removable mechanism, thanks to which the cover with a glass unit is very easy to remove and does not interfere when the frame is installed in the opening.

To remove the glass unit, you need to put the complete window unit on its side and open the window sash by pulling the handle of the ventilation valve. Having opened the sash by a third, you need to press the stoppers located on each hinge with a screwdriver. After they drown, you need to pull the sash further and pull it out of the hinges. The whole process is shown in photo 9-11..

After the sash with the glass unit is separated from the box, it must be put separately in such a place so that it does not break. Then you can start installing the window box in the opening.

Attention! After dismantling the sash, do not try to close the vent valve. It is designed so that it closes only when entering the castle. Any attempt to close it by force will result in its failure..

Installation of a window box in the opening

StarLite roof windows have a simple installation system in the opening. It consists of four steel corners and double grooves on each short side of the box. Each groove is marked with a red or blue insert, which is removed depending on the thickness of the roofing material. A corner is installed in the vacant space and fixed with screws to the box itself. Photo 12 shows a fragment of the instructions that come with each window. It clearly shows which insert needs to be removed depending on whether flat or corrugated material is used for roofing..

In the example used, the thickness of the tile along the largest wave was 40 mm. This means you need to remove the blue insert from all four corner installation locations. The corners themselves are screwed to the box next to the place of their installation. Removing the insert and the corner are shown in photo 13.

The corners (there are four of them) must be unscrewed from the box and inserted with hooks into the freed grooves. Then fix them with self-tapping screws, with which they were screwed to the box itself. This operation is shown in photo 14..

Now it remains to put the box on the bars that highlight the top and bottom of the opening, and fix it to the bars with the self-tapping screws that come with the accessories. This process is shown in photo 15..

Installation of a flashing for ceramic tiles

The second stage in the installation of the roof window is the installation of the flashing. The skirting of the roof window is designed to properly organize the flow of water so that it does not get into the under-roof space. As mentioned above, there are two types of flashing: installed under flat roofing materials (bituminous tiles, flat slate, beaver-tail tiles) and installed under corrugated materials (corrugated slate, classical ceramic tiles). The difference between them is insignificant, but it is not worth replacing one salary with another.

The StarLite roof window flashing kit is shown in photo 16. The flashing consists of four units:

• The upper part of the flashing with a ventilation filter box and a seal is designed to be the first to receive the flow of water flowing down the roofing material and to retain snow in the cold season;
• Two side parts with a sealant serve to drain water bypassing the window frame and draining it onto the roofing material below the cut-off level of the box;
• The lower part with a flexible apron is designed to exclude snow blowing or water ingress under the roofing material during heavy rain. Thanks to the flexible metal corrugated apron, corrugated roofing elements are covered;
• Two J – slats, which are installed at an angle from above and below the flashing under the crate over the vapor permeable membrane. They are designed to drain condensate that can occur under certain weather conditions on the outer surface of the membrane;
• A set of fasteners for fixing the flashing on the crate.

The first operation that must be performed when installing the flashing is to remove all metal linings from the roof window box, if installed. Then the lower part of the flashing is mounted. Its influx should go to the box and stand under the cover, which must be immediately installed in place. The corrugated metal apron should go over the tiles from above (photo 17).

Then the side parts are installed. They should also be found by the influx on the side of the box. Lastly, the upper flashing piece and the ventilation filter box are installed. The flashing seal must follow the outer contour. A fragment of the installed side panel, top part and ventilation box is shown in photo 18. When installing, it is important to remember that all parts must be mounted “by water”. That is, in such a way that when draining from the roof, water does not get into the joints of the flashing parts or under the roofing material..

After assembling the flashing parts, they must be fixed on the crate. For this, the set includes studs and strips of powder-painted aluminum.

When the flashing is assembled and fixed, the removed metal lining of the box is installed and the window is tiled. Photo 19 shows the laying of the tiles on the top of the roof window. If the box is installed correctly, they do not need to be trimmed. Side elements, on the other hand, are rarely installed without fitting. The same photo shows that all the side tiles had to be cut.

Installation of a glass unit in a box

After the installation of the frame with the flashing is completed and the laying of the tiles around the window is completed, it remains only to insert the frame with the glass unit into its place. This operation is performed in the reverse order to what was described at the beginning of the article when dismantling the window cover. The only difference is that the reverse installation of the glass unit is carried out by weight..

First, the double-glazed window must be lifted and placed in the opening of the box with the handle down, if the window is with the upper position of the handle, and vice versa, if the window is with the lower position. In this case, you need to bring the frame parts of the hinges into those that are installed on the box (photo 20) and drown the stopper with a screwdriver so that the hinge enters the groove.

Do the same with the second loop. Then the frame needs to be pulled by the handle towards you and up. The hinges will reach inside, the cover with the glass unit will return to its normal position and the window can be closed (photo 21). In order for the ventilation mode to be observed in the room where the roof windows are installed, it is enough to pull the window handle towards you until the ventilation valve opens. A special filter is installed in the ventilation box to prevent dust and noise from entering the room.

Identification number and why you need it

StarLite roof windows have an identification number stamped on the inner side of the binding at the top right. This is a kind of mark of quality and authenticity, confirming that this window is made in England and is covered by a ten-year warranty. The appearance of the nameplate is shown in photo 22.

In order for your number to be accepted by the manufacturer and a guarantee is established, you need to register on the company’s website and enter your window ID indicated on the tag.

In addition, when specifying the window number, attractive prices for various accessories from StarLite become available: blinds, electric drives, curtains and more. Your ID information must be provided to the seller when purchasing accessories or ancillary equipment for roof windows.

Conclusion (good advice)

The glass from which the roof windows are made is very durable, but it is unlikely to withstand a direct hit from shingles falling off the roof. Therefore, before installing a glass unit, it is worth repairing, if not the entire roof, then at least that part of it that is located above the window and in the immediate vicinity of it. For example, as in photos 23 and 24.

The slopes of the skylights are installed differently from the usual ones, that is, perpendicular to the plane of the window. They should form an obtuse angle of about 120 degrees with it. In this case, the natural air circulation is not disturbed. It passes “without noticing” the window, and if the slopes are installed traditionally, the air will rest against the slopes, the circulation will be disrupted, and the heating efficiency will significantly decrease.

Ceramic tiles are fragile material. Therefore, it must be cut carefully with a grinder with a diamond disc or on a wet-cut machine..

If, when adjusting the tiles along the opening of the attic window, narrow trims come out, then they can be glued to the whole tiles with silicone. The surfaces of the tiles must be dry. An example of such a solution is shown in photo 25..

Skylights, when properly installed, give a lot of light, they are not capricious in operation and do not need maintenance. They are easy to clean and will bond to any roofing material. So, the window shown in the article is installed on an old roof covered with natural clay tiles, which is over 70 years old! This means that it will not be difficult to install such a window under modern roofing materials..