[rstevens]

Hello all,

First time here. I just found this web-site in regards to a discussion about nansulate here in 2008 and it looks like this community may be able to help me with my problems.

I have a landmarked building with single pane skylights built in the late 1800s. Its about 1,000-2,000 sq ft of skylights. We lose a ridiculous amount of heat every winter from these. Converting them to insulated skylights is very costly as it must conform to landmark regulations, which would mean everything would need to be built custom from scratch - something we can not afford. Nor can we just cover them up.

We looked into a window film or an insulator below the skylights, but due to fire code, sprinklers could not be removed making it a very difficult obstacle. Further, the skylights are very large. Thus it would be very difficult to make a secondly film/window under the skylight to insulate.

So I am hoping there is some miracle clear insulator I can adhere directly to the skylights so that they can save on heating (you don't even want to know my oil bill). I tried bubble wrap two years ago with failed results. Bubbles would lose their air and the wrap would start to fall apart before winter ended (although I didn't do the best job putting it up).

I was looking for a clear rigid insulation board and found nansulate as a possible solution but couldn't find much info on them and somehow wound up on this message board.

Anyway, any info or advice is greatly helpful. Would love to finally save on energy.

[KaiserJeep]

I doubt if this is actually the place for you, but you are welcome.

The best way to solve your skylight problem is probably to cover them with weather-tight insulated glass above the current skylights. This need not require anything more elaborate than some wooden frames, insulated inside with rigid foam, and with off-the-shelf double-pane windows in them. There are for example, large glass insulated panels made for replacing sliding glass doors that could be adapted to cover skylights with carpentry skills.

I do not think painting on an insulated film would be worth the trouble. Get the "R" value of the film and see if you agree.

If you can't afford to cover all the skylights, cover what you can this year, more next year, and more after that. Good luck.

[rstevens]

The best way to solve your skylight problem is probably to cover them with weather-tight insulated glass above the current skylights. This need not require anything more elaborate than some wooden frames, insulated inside with rigid foam, and with off-the-shelf double-pane windows in them. There are for example, large glass insulated panels made for replacing sliding glass doors that could be adapted to cover skylights with carpentry skills.

Thanks for the quick response. Wish I could do this. but I can't cover up the skylights, Landmarks wouldn't allow it. Any object messing with the look of the building has to be put under the skylights.

[GHung]

Twinwall rigid polycarbonate as used in greenhouses is relatively inexpensive, comes in various thicknesses (8mm is common), lasts a long time, plastic mounting channel or aluminium glazing available, and it's easy to cut and install. Best of all, it still lets most of the light in. Look at sites like this: http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/cate ... ate-panels.

With an order your size, I'm sure the vendor can get the panels precut to fit your skylights for minimal or no extra charge. Intallation options here: http://igcusa.com/catalogs/Multi%20Install.pdf

[Pops]

You might think about greenhouse acrylic sheets. They have UV inhibitors so will last a while. Theoretically you can put them right up within a fraction of an inch of the existing glass - on the inside. They aren't perfectly clear but then they don't carry the tariff of custom safety glass either.

But beware, they come with a big crating/shipping charge so look for them locally first.

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/prod ... lic-sheets


Oops, gHung beat me to it - almost the same link even, LOL

[GHung]

Great minds think alike, eh ;-?

[BobInget]

Cover them at night (indoors) with ridged insulation rigged with hinges, pulleys and stout black string.
Don't bother with framing your 'insuldoors' just buy 2" foam with foil backing.. face foil towards living space. Glue laminate to foil. Glue hinges to laminate. By day, simply let foam hang down reflecting additional light into living space off of white plastic backing . If your skylights are in a well, paint those walls the same color as foam backing. Do this AFTER the inspector approves your remodel. Fire Code calls for foam to be used outside or covered with concrete. Code also calls for all skylights to be tempered glass, double or triple pained. If you someday get enough dough, insist to inspector that just that ugly, obscure, wired glass needs replacement cause it's not tempered and is not up to today's conservation codes. Don't forget to insulate the walls of that ceiling well if it protrudes above roof line.

[kuidaskassikaeb]

Bob's would be closer to my suggestion. Same idea. Curtains. You actually probably have positive solar gain for much of the day. At night curtains to increase R value. Or rigid whatever.

[rstevens]

Thank you Pops and GHung. I already am speaking with my contractor about figuring out how to install. Do you think if I installed two layers on top of each other it would double the R-Factor?

Bob, I agree about curtains, but this is fairly complicated as we would need to build a curtain system and then trust tenants to close every day (and a lot of tenants don't even turn off bathroom lights). However, I am going to speak with my contractor about this as well.

Thank you all for your help. Let me know if you have any other ideas.