Varieties of roof windows

Recommendation points

• Pediment
• Mansard
• Hatch window
• Lucarne
• Flat roof windows
• Anti-aircraft lanterns
• Light tunnel, light guide

The roof of the house can be very different. And often it becomes necessary to supplement it with windows in order to provide natural light to the attic or attic space. Our tips site will tell you exactly what types of roof windows exist, from which you can choose.

Pediment

They are installed, in fact, not on the roof itself, but under it – on the pediment, in the gable wall. This is the most common option for gable roofs with a spacious attic and attic. Often gable windows are made triangular, in the shape of the roof slopes. But this is not at all necessary, you can install the most common square or rectangular window on the pediment.

Mansard

In this case, the windows are mounted directly into the roof slope. It is important that the width of the glass unit is less than the pitch of the rafters. Therefore, in some cases, it is more expedient to install two or three small dormer windows instead of one panoramic – there will be less problems. Such windows can be swing-out, mid-swing and with a raised axis of rotation of the sash. Choose the most convenient option to make it easier to clean the glass.

Hatch window

Actually, this is all the same dormer window, but with the ability to go to the roof. If the attic is residential, you need a thermal insulation flashing around the glass unit. The hatch can open upwards, but most often a swing mechanism is installed, hinges on the side. Conveniently, the hatch can be used for roof maintenance and repair.

Lucarne

A kind of “house on the house”, the protruding part of the roof. There can be two or three lucarnes on one slope, they increase the area, the height of the attic ceiling and provide it with natural light. In the lucarne, as in the pediment of the house, you can install the most ordinary window, just the right size. It is also advisable to make the dimensions of the hatch less than the step of the rafters, so as not to touch the supporting structures.

Flat roof windows

If you have an exploited, flat roof, you need special windows, dormer ones will not work. The double-glazed window must necessarily rise slightly above the roof so that it does not flood during rains, does not completely fall asleep with snow. In addition, the box should be slightly sloped – all for the same reasons. Most often, such double-glazed windows include an external protective, tempered glass and an internal one with heat-reflecting properties to maintain the temperature under the roof. An important function – windows on a flat roof often provide access to it, that is, they serve as a hatch.

Anti-aircraft lanterns

The portal wrote in detail about the pros, cons and features of such windows for the roof. This is also a suitable option for a flat roof, but in general they can be arranged on a pitched roof – in the place where all planes connect, on a ridge.

Light tunnel, light guide

The most interesting option. Not just a window, but a reflective tube up to two meters long, which allows you to provide sunlight to rooms in which an ordinary window cannot be placed – a bathroom, a corridor, a dressing room. A decorative shade is installed in the room to let in light, and on the roof there is a double-glazed window with a frame or a special cap that can literally attract the sun’s rays into the pipe. Yes, it is impossible to ventilate the room through a light tunnel, and, in contrast to all the above types of windows, it will not create a view of the street. But it will help to save energy.