By Pam Moore
Photos courtesy: Heinsight Solutions
If spring has you wanting to take full advantage of the extra sunshine, consider adding more natural daylight to your home with skylights, sun tunnels and/or new windows. According to Heather Hein, partial owner and director of human resources at Heinsight Windows in Fort Collins, increasing the amount of natural light in your home isn’t just an investment in your property. It’s also an investment in your health and well-being – something that’s on everyone’s mind as we hit the one-year mark of the pandemic.
While the windows themselves may not directly improve your health status, “the elements they bring into your home can. When you install skylights in your home, you’re really installing more daylight and fresh air.” Hein says this can create significant changes in your mind and body, including increasing your Vitamin D levels, which strengthens bones and helps prevent certain cancers, heart disease, depression and weight gain. “Studies show that natural, full spectrum light can help provide the vitamin D which is so lacking in the winter months,” she explains. It can also help with symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which affects millions of people each year, according to the CDC. Increased exposure to natural light also helps keep your body’s natural circadian rhythms balanced, which supports quality sleep. Hein says natural light has the power to boost your energy levels and enhance respiratory and eye health.
“And those are just the health benefits,” she says. Skylights have the potential to make your home more energy efficient. “Skylights can help regulate the temperature and humidity of your home while lowering your energy costs.” And that’s just the beginning. Accessories such as solar-powered blinds, solar night lights and light kits can boost those energy savings even more.”
VELUX skylights offer a variety of styles to match virtually any floor plan, roof line, or budget. “Sun tunnels are a great choice for small spaces such as closets and hallways, and we have even installed them in basements,” says Hein. They’re also more economical. Traditional skylights, on the other hand, “are a good option for larger areas and opening up living spaces to make them seem larger and lighter.” They’re also a good fit for areas that require extra ventilation, such as kitchens or in vaulted ceilings. As a VELUX certified 5-Star Skylight Specialist, Heinsight Solutions has the skills and experience to make your skylight installation process as simple and seamless as possible.
Established in 2004, Heinsight prides itself on their transferable warranty on all our jobs; according to Hein, they “go with the house and the product, not the customer who bought them.” A veteran-owned business, they offer discounts to seniors, military and educators, they prioritize “quality over profit,” Hein says, adding, “We don’t cut corners.” With more than two decades in the skylight business and years of experience with complex and historical roofing as a general contractor Darren, the owner, “brings an expertise that other companies just can’t match.”
Meanwhile, if replacement windows are a better solution for your home, Universal Windows Direct of Denver is your one-stop shop. Their replacement vinyl windows are constructed of 100 percent virgin vinyl. According to owner Chris Bilger, this means they’ll never rot, fade, chip, or peel. Available in a wide selection of styles and grid options, you can choose windows that match your current decor or find a window that reflects an updated style or meets your current functional needs. Universal Windows Direct of Denver offers not just replacement window installation, but also vinyl siding installation and entry door replacement.
Whether you’re exploring replacing windows or adding skylights, adding natural light is an excellent way to make your spring a little brighter – while improving both your health and your home value.
> Heinsight Solutions, 2415 E. Mulberry St., Suite 11, Fort Collins, 970.988.3622, heinsightsolutions.net. Serving communities from Steamboat to Sterling, down to Broomfield, and up to the northern border of Wyoming
> Universal Windows Direct of Denver, 3700 Quebec St., Unit 100-217, Denver, 303.373.4236, universalwindowsdirect.com/denver. Serving Adams, Arapahoe County, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson Counties