Skylights: How to choose the perfect solution for your home?

Skylights in entrance doors are an important element that can affect both the aesthetics and functionality of our home. There are various skylight options available, both in the upper and side parts of the door, with different advantages and disadvantages. It is worth understanding what these advantages and disadvantages are and what the technical requirements are in order to make the best decision. Regardless of whether you choose the Langen, Linden or another model from our range of steel doors, it is possible to complete the door with a transom.

Why choose doors with transom windows?

1. Natural light: Skylights allow natural light to illuminate corridors or halls, which can significantly improve the atmosphere and save energy during the day. In addition, they allow for better light diffusion inside the room, which can increase its brightness and cosiness.

2. Aesthetics: They add elegance and character to doors, emphasising their design and bringing out their charm.

3. Privacy: They allow access to natural light while maintaining privacy, as they do not provide full visibility into the interior of the house. This depends on the type of glass selected and the infrastructure around the door.

What should you keep in mind before deciding on skylights?

1. Less privacy: Although they provide some privacy protection, they still allow some view into the interior of the house in certain circumstances.

2. Lower thermal insulation: Due to the materials they are made of (glass), transom windows do not provide as high insulation values as traditional door leaves, which can lead to heat loss in winter and cooling in summer.

3. Costs: Choosing a door with a transom can significantly increase the cost of the door due to the larger amount of glass required for production and more difficult installation. Installing transoms requires precision and experience, so it is worth using the services of a professional installer.

What should you check when deciding on a skylight?

1. Safety: If the lights are located near the entrance door, safety must be ensured. This can be achieved by using glass with increased burglary resistance (burglar-proof P4) or additional security systems.

2. Type of glass: Choosing the right type of glass, such as frosted or laminated, can affect the final visual effect and level of privacy.

3. Technical conditions: Transom windows are only available when choosing an aluminium door frame. They can be used with any of the technologies available in our steel door range, but only when combined with an aluminium door frame.

4. Dimensions: Not all door openings are suitable for installing doors with transom windows. To avoid this problem, it is best to determine the type and dimensions of the doors and transom windows at the design stage of the house.

How can you make transom windows?

There are seven ways to make transoms according to the current ERKADO offer. Starting from a full transom around the door to a single side or top element. Below are the available transom configuration options:

Types of glazing

You can order the transom in seven different glass variants, known from the glazing units also available in door leaves.

In summary, top and side lights in entrance doors have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. The choice depends on individual aesthetic preferences, privacy requirements and budget. Technical requirements should also be taken into account to ensure safety, thermal and acoustic insulation, and durability. Before making a choice, we recommend consulting an expert, who can be found using our showroom search engine in the ‘Where to buy?’ tab.