ROOF WINDOWS INTRODUCTION Consultation with the architect helps make decision 8 www.fakro.com Loft Conversion-planning Building or renovation of a house is an investment which requires not only financial expenditure, but also considered decisions and solutions. Each matter should be discussed with professionals who will ad- vise the best way of solving problems. When deciding how and where to place roof windows you should consult an architect, who will help you to choose the right window type depending on the proposed use of the loft. He will also give you advice concerning the window’s glass surface area decided by the ratio to the total floor area and also where to place the win- dows to gain the maximum benefit. Nowadays roof windows are often an indispensable element of newly built structures. They create new, unique, individual possibilities. When adapting or con- The attic before conversion verting the loft and also installing roof windows your loft can be easily changed into a functional, stylish and elegant space. Depending on the client’s individ- ual requirements and the ingenuity of the architects, even the most exceptional ideas can be prepared in the form of computerised 3D visualisation of the project which helps your dreams come true. A completed conversion with two roof windows A completed conversion with four roof windows and blinds ROOF WINDOW 9 ROOF WINDOWS VERSUS DORMER When planning to develop the loft there are two options to get light in: building a dormer (until recently a very popular solution) or installing (becoming more and more popular ) modern roof windows. Dormer A dormer is a built-in wooden or brick structure. To build a dormer you will need to buy particular materials and r carry out extra build on the roof. rme Prefabricated do The choice of the dormers when renovating or rebuilding the loft generally requires the assistance of the builder. When drawing the project all the various changes in the R o construction of the house have to be o f w in taken in account e.g. the weight of ma- d o w terials used, changes in the roof construc- s c om b in tion in respect to rafter spacing or additional at ion trimmer beams being installed. There is also a need to submit the dormer project to the proper building authorities in order to obtain all the required plan- ning permissions. Do rm er When the construction of the dormer’s walls are ready, they also have to be externally and internally insulated. The construction must be watertight, so there is an amount of finishing work to be done around the dormer as well. Of course all the above mentioned works should be done by professional craftsmen equipped with specialist tools. An alternative way to light up the loft is to use prefabricated dormers where the metal structure is totally glazed and lets in sunlight from all sides. 10 www.fakro.com roof window flashings for roof windows accessories for roof windows accessories installation control electronic windows Roof Window roof access A roof window installation does not require any serious con- simple and does not require the use of complicated tools struction changes to the roof (only the cutting of battens). The — enhances room illumination by up to 50%; width of the window usually matches the space between the — decreases heat loss of the building in comparison with the rafters and makes the installation quite simple. The window dormer’s external construction walls. skylights installation does not require the building of additional walls or buying additional building materials which will increase the It is much easier to secure water tightness when applying construction weight and the cost. standard flashings with the roof window than when preparing There are special flashings offered, which are essential for the and installing hand made and complicated dormer flashings. tight connection of the window to the roof with all kinds of The roof window illuminates the room and should be situated roofing materials. In the package, there are window fitting loft ladders in the best possible place according to the user’s requirements. instructions which enable you to install the window with the The roof window can be installed in places where the dormer use of simple tools. Placing the window in the roof surface in- installation, because of its construction, is not possible. creases the angle of light entering the room and consequently The roof window can also be installed in various combinations enhances the level of illumination. Tests have proved that up gaining optimal illumination of the room, whereas in the case to 50% more light enters the room than through a vertical win- solar panels dow of the same size. of a dormer this effect is dissipated. To summarise, a roof window is a much more advantageous solution in comparison with the dormer because of: — smaller consumption of materials, is much lighter and cheaper; around 60-70%; users guide — the roof window installation is fast (takes 2- 4 hours) and ROOF WINDOW 11 UNIVERSAL INSTALLATION SYSTEM Installation brackets Fakro roof windows are equipped with universal brackets, which al- low installation either on trimmers or on rafters. Installation of the window at a chosen depth means that the milled groove marked with N, V, J letters is level with the top surface of the battens. The denotation of the depth of installation N, V, J corresponds to the last letter of denotation on the package of the flashing e.g. — EZV- flashing (E) type (Z) for tiled coverings with profile depth up to 45mm is assigned to the window installed on the depth V — EHN-flashing (E) type (N) for tiled coverings with profile depth of Installation on trimmers over 45mm is assigned to the window installed on the depth N I n s t a l l a t i o Installation on trimmers n o f The roof window is installed on trimmers when the rafter spacing is t h e w much bigger than the window width. When installing on trimmers in d o we can move the window horizontally to better adjust the place of w on installation in relation to the roof material profile. tri mm N ers on the depth V h Installation on rafters t In p s e t d a e We install windows on rafters when the window width matches the lla h ti t on on spacing between rafters, it ensures stability of the construction and of rs the me window on trim the durability of the connection. Installation on rafters is recom- mended especially when we replace old windows (in already existing roofs) with new ones or when we in- stall big windows. When the window’s width is bigger than the spacing between rafters we use trimmers in roof construction. Horizontal trimmer beams should be situated around 30-50 cm below the bottom and top edge of the window. It will allow proper lining construction of the window (bottom lining should be vertical to the floor and the head lining should be horizontal to the floor). Installation on rafters Installation on trimmer beams ’’ In s s r t e a ft l a la r ti n on o b n ra tio cke alla ts i inst n the position of ‘’ Installation of Skylights The new Fakro installation system applied to skylights substitutes in- stallation brackets for screws. The screws are screwed directly to the rafters through the pre-drilled installation holes in the skylight frame. Using this innovative installation system allows easy and fast skylight fitting and reduces the possibility of mistakes. Sc g rew xin for skylight fi Installation on rafters 12 www.fakro.com Choosing The Roof Window And Its Positioning In The Roof The choice of roof windows depends on: — the glazed area and the type of the room The correct amount of natural light in the room is de- cided by the proportion of the surface of the window’s glass area to the total floor area. In the case of habit- roof window able rooms this proportion should be at least 1:8, and in other rooms where natural light is needed because ��� of their function –at least 1:12. — the pitch of the roof The positioning of the chosen window also depends on ��� flashings �� the roof pitch. The lower the pitch the higher up the roof �� for roof windows the window should be. window installed correctly Window installation height In buildings where storeys are below 25m above ground level, the distance from the bottom edge of the opening accessories for roof windows window to the floor should be at least 0.85m. In buildings where storeys are more than 25m above ground level the aforementioned distance should be not less than 1.1m. It should be noted that the higher the window is fitted, the more light enters the room, therefore accessories installation A Fakro roof windows are equipped with a bottom n u m handle opening system to facilitate the opening of b e r the windows installed at optimum height. o f s m a l The bottom edge of the Fakro roof window should ide- le r w ally be situated 1.1-1.4m above the floor level. The recom- in d o mended distance is 1.2m (bearing in mind that average w control s electronic a ll room height is 2.5m), which provides a lot of light into the ow s m room and simultaneously offers an unrestricted view. ore lig ht t e o ent r on Installation of the window at this height allows the fixing of a er than only one large standard radiator below the window and also allows proper lining construction.