The Benefits of Daylighting

One of the best ways to become energy efficient is by not using any energy at all. Turning on your lights and powering up your heating can make your home look and feel more comfortable, but you can also have those benefits by letting in more daylight through your windows.

You can cut back on both your electrical and heating bills by allowing more natural light into your home, via a process aptly called daylighting. The US Department of Energy also says that not only will you save on your utility bills, but it can boost productivity and even have health benefits. 

Keeping a comfortable internal house temperature is possible by daylighting, especially when your home has energy efficient windows. Plus, the positioning of your windows plays a major role in the amount and type of daylight your house receives.

For homes in Michigan and the rest of America, south-facing windows will allow the most sunlight. You will receive the most direct sunlight during the winter, but less direct sunlight in the summer, which will help regulate your home’s temperature.

North-facing windows will not receive any direct sunlight, but will provide a relatively even spread of natural light. There is almost no unwanted heat gain in the summer, and this indirect light also produces little glare.

East- and west-facing windows have their pros and cons. They will provide great daylight penetration in the mornings and evenings, but will come with a lot of glare. Your home will admit much more heat during the summer months when it is unwanted and contribute very little solar heating through the winter.

Natural light has numerous benefits to your overall health, too. It boosts your vitamin D levels, wards off seasonal depression, and improves your sleep. Whether this addition of natural light is at home or in the workplace, you will notice a difference in your mood and productivity.

Adding more natural light to your home through daylighting certainly will bring its benefits, including the money that you can save on your energy bills. To learn more about daylighting and efficient ways to heat your home, call Sunrise Heating and Plumbing today at (616) 293-9326. We pride ourselves in providing nothing but exceptional customer service.