skylights?

+1 Skylights and ONLY something that will fall between the natural framing spacing.

Skylights . We had a really old house where the master was in the attic I wanted to add 2 skylights and was informed the minite I touched the roofing I would need to bring the whole roof structire up to code so no skylights for us and it turned out fine just added more regular lighting .

I would leave the vaulted ceiling alone. It is beautiful. You will diminish the aesthetic of the ceiling and add problems down the road. Skylights are prone to leaking.

Is there any way to add windows somewhere else in the room? If not add lighting.

Thank you all for such quick responses. I am new to houzz and it is great to see you quickly engage to share ideas. Many have suggested skylights for the 2 bedrooms (each have the triangular shaped window frames reaching up to the vaulted ceiling). I am actually interested in blocking out the sun - so stained glass is what a friend had suggested. Both of the rooms already have large wall-to-wall windows - so no need for additional natural light. The hallway has 6 large windows overhead which serve as skylights and daytime sunlight makes the bedroom area unbearably warm. I am considering either stained glass or a cement walls to block out sun. Here is a video walkthrough https://youtu.be/wc9rqupZNj4 - the rooms in questions are in the long hallway adjacent to the main floor master.

If you are considering replacing the windows there are windows that will reflect the heat.

Low-E glass blocks as much as 72% of solar heat.

If you are not contemplating replacing the windows and they are not under warranty you could do a reflective film that reflects the heat.

What is the exterior roof material? Skylights are really no more prone to leaking than any penetration in a roof substrate if they are done properly.

Great question about roof material. I will need to investigate this. I would love to keep the original wood for the vaulted ceilings because it looks very nice. The item I will likely add is the Low-E glass for updated windows to block the sun’s heat as Jennifer Hogan has recommended above 👌

@Windows on Washington Ltd - The roofer's I know look for anything that sticks through the roof as the first place for leaks - around vent pipes, around chimneys and around skylights. All are prone to leaks. You are probably correct that skylights are no more prone to leaks than around chimneys or vent pipes, but they are still more prone to leaks than a roof without skylights.

Hence my comment that:

• Skylights are really no more prone to leaking than any penetration in a roof substrate if they are done properly.

The Velux system is one of the most well engineered roofing components on the market and we have installed them for 15 years without a single call back on one of them in that time frame.

While the roofer always love a roof without penetrations, the reality is that light is light. And if the room is dark, a well installed skylight is a beautiful option that one SHOULD NOT shy away from because of any fear that it is going to leak.

Windows are penetrations in a wall system and we don't NOT install them because they are more prone to leak too. We see just as many poorly installed versions of those than we do skylights and the best thing going for them, is they are hung vertically and can drain. If skylights were hung like most of the builders hang windows, they would all leak like sieves.