Shine On: Letting Natural Light Into Your Home

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Sunlight is a natural disinfectant and also a source of vitamin D. Letting the sunshine into your home is a good move but not all people build their homes with that intent. If you recently moved into a new house and want to brighten up your days, there are some things you can do to change the home for the better. Here are some options available to you.

Replace the Windows

The simplest solution to letting the sun into your home is to call the window replacement experts. They will look at your current window setup and suggest a change in your windows. They may recommend larger ones or changing the frame. The right windows can let more light in.

Besides changing the current windows, they might also recommend adding more windows. Depending on your local government, you might need to get a permit for this since it might violate your neighbor’s privacy if you’re not careful. This is usually for any side-facing windows on the first floor. Positioning these new windows is also important if you want to get the most natural light. Having windows facing east and west is important if you want to have full coverage of natural light for most of the day.

Install Glazed Doors

It is not just windows that can let the light in. If you have a large backyard, you should consider putting in large glazed doors. These are a great addition to any house since they provide the people inside to have a view of their backyard all-year-round. Have comfy winter snow viewings or open the doors up for some summer breezes. If you want maximum daylight to come in, you can choose either slim door frames for maximum allowance or a sliding door set-up which provides people with a clear view of everything. You might need to install a privacy film so that no one can see inside but a large see-through door like this is perfect if you want your living room to connect to your backyard easily.

living room with large windows

Lighten Things Up

Light reflects from a variety of surfaces and you can use this to your advantage. You can do this by painting various surfaces in your home white. For example, the eaves of your home are in the right position to catch the light. If you paint them white, they can then reflect the light into your house.

Interior color can also help maximize the natural light that comes in. Painting the main rooms of your home in bright colors allows maximum light reflection. Depending on the color, there are various Light Reflectance Values. The highest is white at 100 and the lowest is zero with black. Depending on how bright you want the room to be, you might want to select a color that is nearer to white than black. The surfaces that you should focus on are the ceilings of the rooms. They are the largest flat areas in any given room so they provide maximum reflection value if you want to brighten things up.

Add Some Shiny Surfaces

Besides colors, there is another way to spread the light around your rooms. This is the use of various shiny surfaces. These are most effective when you want to brighten up your kitchen or bathroom. This is where it is easiest to do since you can simply install tiles. Several tile types are available. For one, there are glass tiles that can reflect 100 percent of the light. You can place these on the walls so that they can reflect more light. Glossy ceramic tiles are another available type. These are more appropriate for your flooring. If you can’t afford the expensive tiles, you can get cheap subway tiles. They only cost around $2 per foot.

Think About Skylights

Not many houses have it but a skylight is common for apartments and rooms that are on the top floor. Often called “windows of the roof,” skylights are the perfect way to let the light into your rooms. The great thing about them is that they are consistent in bringing in sunlight into your rooms. Installing skylights is similar to window installations so it should be easy to make a reality.

Lighting up your house doesn’t need any light bulbs. With natural light, your entire house will be bright the entire day. Enjoy all the benefits of having natural light in your rooms and feel a lot better. Besides that, natural lighting is also much more welcoming to people. Get the professional help you need right away.

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