4 Steps to Install a Square Skylight in Melbourne Homes

Following are 4 steps required to install a square skylight in Melbourne homes:

• Marking & Cutting the Opening: Expose the rafters and mark four corners of the opening ‘3 inches’ longer than the skylight's dimensions on the lower and upper rafter edges. Make the opening square, the distances should be equal. At each corner mark, utilize a rafter square to draw lines at right angles up the sides of the rafters to the roof sheathing. Then, drive a long nail through the sheathing and go out on the roof and remove the shingles. Draw an outline of the rafters between the four points, and cut out the drywall. The frame of your skylight should fit inside your lines with about one-fourth inch of space at the sides and three inches at both ends.

• Joisting Hangers & Headers is essential while installing a square skylight in Melbourne homes: Attach a 3-inch wide joist hanger to each corner of the opening. Match the bottom of the uncut rafter with the bottom of the hanger, and the outer side of the U-shape with the line drawn on the corner hole. Measure and cut four headers. Set one header into each pair of the hangers and fix it to the cut rafter ends. Now, fit the second header into the next pair of hangers and fix it to the first header in a staggered fashion. Fix the flanges of the joist hangers to the second headers with the help of screws.

• Set the Skylight: Screw 3-inch wide sheathing over the tops of the headers. Put ‘5-inches’ strips of felt and nail them over the headers. Replace the shingles on the bottom and then set your skylight in the opening. Secure the sides with cleats and then replace the roofing over the top and side flanges. Ensure that the nails are set well beyond the flashing edges.

• How to finish the installation of a square skylight in Melbourne homes: Use finishing nails to secure the frame of the skylight on both the rafters and headers. Cover the headers with drywall and utilize corner beads or wood trims.

Types of Roof Ventilation in Melbourne

There are several types of roof ventilation in Melbourne that we will discuss now:

• Box vents are also called low profile vents, flat vents, louvers, or even turtle vents. They are called static vents as they have no moving parts. A box vent covers a hole cut out of the roof and they use natural convection for air movement. They are available in a variety of colours and built from a range of materials. Box vents are versatile, cheap, and one of the most common types of roof ventilation in Melbourne.

• Wind turbines are sometimes called whirlybirds, and while they include moving parts, they don’t feature a motor and instead rely upon wind to power movement. This type of ventilation system moves more air as compared to traditional box vents provided the wind is blowing.

• Power vents combine benefits of box vents and wind turbines. They are motor driven and ensure proper roof ventilation in Melbourne regardless of the harsh climate or wind conditions. However, these are more expensive than box vents and whirlybirds.

• Ridge vents are another kind of static vent system which is installed along roof ridges. These are designed to run the full length of roofs’ horizontal ridge and blend seamlessly into roofs’ design making them a smart option of roof ventilation in Melbourne.

• Off-ridge vents are static vents installed over a cut section of the roof, generally near the ridge. They are thin and rectangular, and possibly the least efficient amongst the roof vents.

As you can see, roof ventilation in Melbourne are varied and complicated, so it is always recommended to work with a qualified roofing contractor when planning out which system is best for your home. Your roofing contractor can tell you which system is best in your city’s climate.