How to install a skylight

Create a brighter hallway with a skylight - by Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens

Skylights are great… if you have direct roof access. But with this new system, any room (or hallway!) can be blessed with natural light. The secret is a solar collector placed on the northern aspect of your roof. A cable then connects the collector to a light panel that is set into the ceiling of your chosen space. It’s as simple as that!

Gather your supplies
Illume Shaftless Skylight System (includes solar collector, light panel, cable and hardware); spanner; drill and bits; wallboard saw

Note

This guide is for installation on a tiled roof. Form instructions on installing this system on a metal roof, refer to the manufacturer.

Better Homes and Gardens

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Here's how

Better Homes and Gardens

STEP 1 Attach brackets to solar collector to sit in the valleys of the roof tiles when solar collector is positioned. Remove tiles and secure brackets to roof battens using supplied screws. Attach cable to solar collector and feed into roof. Replace tiles.

STEP 2 Inside, determine the position of the light panel in the ceiling. Drill a hole in the centre of your desired location. Climb into the roof cavity and locate hole. If the light panel will coincide with any ceiling joists when installed in this location, slightly shift its position so it sits in a clear area of ceiling. Direct cable from solar collector to where light panel will be.

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Step 3 Out of the roof, stick the supplied cut-out template to ceiling in correct location and mark edges with a pencil. Remove template and, using wallboard saw, cut along marked lines to create a hole in ceiling.

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Step 4 Connect cable to light panel. Install light panel into cut hole using spring clips on the sides.