Chimney balloon for skylight - a solution to conserve heat!?

[Setanta12]

Another question we have a practically inaccessible skylight - would require a large ladder perched on stairs to get to skylight. (And thats before problem of bringing large ladder in up one flight of stairs to sit on the second flight.)

Have a notion that we're probably losing a lot of heat straight up - any ideas or solutions ?

Someone mentioned a chimney-balloon for similar chimney problems? Would this work for us ? Relevant area for proposed balloon being 1.5 sq.ft squared/cubed!

 

[Shane007]

I could not see it doing anything as a chimney balloon would have absolutely no insulation properties bar the air within it & the air will still be there without it.

I would more go with a made up well insulated panel. It could be made to look as if it should be there & then removed when out of the heating season.

 

[Palerider]

If the skylight is double glazed you will not gain much if anything other than blocking light and creating a eyesore with whatever you apply to that area.

 

[Shane007]

If the skylight is double glazed you will not gain much if anything other than blocking light and creating a eyesore with whatever you apply to that area.

I would disagree. Typical U value for double glazing is 2.8 whereas polyiso is 0.023 therefore by making up a panel that looks well from polyiso with either some plastered or timber finish that as I said before, looks as if it should be there would be the best option for winter months. After the heating season, it could be removed for the light benefits & no fuel heating is lost.

 

[lowCO2design]

Another question we have a practically inaccessible skylight - would require a large ladder perched on stairs to get to skylight. (And thats before problem of bringing large ladder in up one flight of stairs to sit on the second flight.)

Have a notion that we're probably losing a lot of heat straight up - any ideas or solutions ?

Someone mentioned a chimney-balloon for similar chimney problems? Would this work for us ? Relevant area for proposed balloon being 1.5 sq.ft squared/cubed!

your skylight probably isn't great, but before you change it or look for a balloon have you insualted fully the sides of the light well shaft - if for instance you have 300mm mineral wool or similar on your attic floor have you the equivalent on these side walls? maybe 150mm kingspan tightly fitted to underside of felt

 

[Setanta12]

Thanks for all the comments.

I think we're well-insulated in the attic - its just this skylight is the highest point that sits directly above the stairs, so looking to conserve heat I thought to ask. It also has an ugly velux (?) sticker on it so someday we'll have to get that ladder up to take it off !