Is a skylight worth it?
Short answer. A skylight is worth it when a room truly lacks daylight, such as an interior hallway, bathroom or dark kitchen, and you buy a quality unit with low-e glass and have it flashed properly. In Georgia's hot summers, a cheap or poorly placed skylight adds heat and one more place for the roof to leak, so a small tubular skylight or a north-facing location is often the smarter choice.
The upside
- Light from above is much stronger than light from a wall window of the same size.
- Venting skylights let hot, humid air escape from kitchens and bathrooms.
- Daylight makes small or interior rooms feel larger and cuts daytime lighting.
The downside in Georgia
- Heat gain: a south or west facing skylight lets in a lot of summer heat. Low-e coatings, tinted or laminated glass, and shades help.
- Leak risk: every opening is a potential leak point, especially when flashing is caulked instead of stepped.
- Condensation: humid indoor air hitting cold glass on winter mornings can drip.
- Future roof work: the skylight has to be reflashed or replaced whenever the roof is replaced.
Ways to get the light with less risk
- Tubular daylighting devices use a small dome and a reflective tube that fits between rafters. They cost less and have a small flashing footprint.
- Put skylights on north or east facing slopes where possible.
- Choose a deck-mounted unit with the manufacturer's flashing kit instead of a site-built curb sealed with caulk.
Cost factors
Tubular units are the least expensive, fixed skylights cost more, and venting or solar powered venting units cost the most, plus framing, drywall and paint for the light shaft. Adding one when the roof is replaced avoids cutting into new shingles later. See skylights and roof replacement and roof flashing explained.