How to Reduce Skylight Glare: Effective Solutions for a Comfortable Home

Skylights are wonderful for bringing natural light into your home, but sometimes too much light can cause discomfort. The bright rays that pour through your skylight, especially during certain times of the day, can lead to excessive glare that makes it difficult to enjoy your space. Whether it’s the glaring sun interfering with your TV screen or intense light making it hard to relax, reducing skylight glare is essential for a comfortable living environment. In this guide, we’ll explore effective solutions to reduce skylight glare, ensuring you make the most of your natural light without the unwelcome side effects.

1. Install Skylight Shades or Blinds

One of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce skylight glare is by using shades or blinds. These allow you to control how much sunlight enters your home, helping to minimise glare and create a more comfortable environment.

• Honeycomb Shades: Honeycomb shades are a popular choice for skylights because they offer great insulation and glare reduction. Their unique cellular structure traps air, reducing both light and heat transfer. By adjusting them, you can let in just the right amount of light to keep your space comfortable.
• Roller Blinds: Roller blinds designed for skylights are also effective in controlling glare. These blinds can be operated manually or with a remote, allowing you to adjust them depending on the intensity of sunlight.
• Motorised Blinds: For skylights that are difficult to reach, motorised blinds are a convenient solution. They offer easy operation and can even be programmed to adjust automatically based on the time of day or light levels.

2. Consider Tinted Skylight Glazing

If you prefer a more permanent solution to reduce skylight glare, opting for tinted glazing can make a big difference. Tinted skylights are designed to reduce the intensity of sunlight passing through, thereby cutting down glare.

• Neutral Tints: Neutral tints reduce glare without significantly altering the colour of the incoming light. This means you still get a bright and airy space, just without the overwhelming brightness.
• Reflective Coatings: Reflective tints can provide even more control over sunlight, reflecting a portion of the light away. This type of glazing is ideal for rooms that receive intense midday or afternoon sun, helping to keep the area cooler and more comfortable.

3. Skylight Placement Matters

The placement of your skylight has a huge impact on glare. While you may not be able to move an existing skylight, planning optimal placement during installation can help prevent future issues with glare.

• North-Facing Skylights: In New Zealand, north-facing skylights generally receive consistent, gentle light throughout the day, reducing the risk of overwhelming glare. Installing skylights on the north side of your home can help create a balanced level of natural light without harsh afternoon sun.
• Avoid Direct Line of Sight: Placing skylights in locations where sunlight won’t directly hit reflective surfaces—such as mirrors, glossy floors, or TV screens—can significantly reduce glare. Consider installing skylights in areas that direct light into the room indirectly rather than straight down onto highly reflective surfaces.

4. Use Skylight Diffusers

Another great way to reduce skylight glare is by using a diffuser. Skylight diffusers help scatter the sunlight entering through the skylight, softening its impact and distributing light more evenly across the room.

• Frosted Diffusers: Frosted skylight diffusers are an excellent option for softening harsh sunlight. They act like a filter, creating a more even distribution of light, which reduces glare without significantly reducing the amount of natural light entering the room.
• Prismatic Diffusers: Prismatic diffusers scatter light in multiple directions, helping to illuminate the entire room more evenly. This type of diffuser works well in kitchens or living areas where balanced light is needed for various activities.

5. Add Landscaping for Natural Shade

Believe it or not, the solution to your skylight glare problem might be found outside your home. Strategic landscaping can help control the amount of direct sunlight your skylight receives.

• Planting Trees or Tall Shrubs: If you have a skylight that faces an area of your yard, planting trees or tall shrubs can help create natural shade. Deciduous trees are particularly useful—they provide shade during the summer when you need it, but let light in during the winter when their leaves fall.
• Pergolas and Overhangs: Installing a pergola or roof overhang can be an effective way to limit the amount of direct sunlight hitting your skylight. This solution works especially well if your skylight is on a lower roof or is part of an outdoor patio extension.

6. Choosing Glazing with Low Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

The type of glazing you choose can also help reduce glare. Glazing with a lower Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) allows less solar radiation to pass through, reducing both glare and heat gain.

• Low-E Glass: Low-emissivity (Low-E) glass helps reflect some of the sun’s rays while still allowing plenty of natural light in. By reflecting infrared radiation, Low-E glass reduces glare and helps maintain a comfortable indoor temperature.
• Double or Triple Glazing: Skylights with double or triple glazing provide more insulation and reduce glare by limiting how much direct sunlight and heat enters the room. The additional layers of glass and gas filling act as barriers, softening the sunlight before it reaches your living space.

Conclusion

Reducing skylight glare is about finding the right balance between enjoying natural light and maintaining a comfortable indoor environment. From adding skylight shades and installing tints to considering strategic placement and using diffusers, there are several effective methods to minimise glare. Whether you’re looking for a quick fix or a more permanent solution, addressing skylight glare can dramatically improve the comfort and usability of your home. With these strategies, you can enjoy all the benefits of natural light without the downsides of excessive brightness or discomfort.