Aluminium windows and doors open up a space to deliver more natural light in the home (find out how they achieve this below). This has always been important, but when everyone was shut indoors for long periods of time during the pandemic, more people realised just how vital a light, bright home is. In a study of 2000 homes conducted by glass specialist Pilkington UK and cited in Homebuilding and Renovating magazine mid-pandemic, 66% of people said to make their home perfect they wanted more natural light.
Some of this demand has arisen because people spent more time in their homes, but another factor bucking the trend is an increase in remote working. Whether working from home for one or two days a week or all the time, more residential properties in the UK now need to cater for individuals who work from home, and a working environment anywhere needs to incorporate natural light for more productivity and better mental health.
In a study conducted by Future Workplace and published in the Harvard Business Review, employees cited access to natural light and views of the outdoors as their number one requirement for their work environment. Almost half of the employees interviewed said they felt tired or very tired with a lack of natural light and 43% were left feeling gloomy for the same reason. With so many people now working remotely, natural light in the home has become more important for personal and professional reasons.
Why does natural light have such a big impact?
The need for natural light comes from basic human needs, which is why it is so important to us whether working remotely or simply enjoying our home. According to healthline one of the reasons why people need natural light is the body’s requirement for Vitamin D which is absorbed through the skin when we are exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D deficiency is commonplace in the UK because the climate doesn’t encourage us to get outdoors as much as we need to. Having said that, getting more natural light indoors, as well as outdoors is useful.
Another reason natural light is so important is because it helps to minimise the symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder, whereby people are more likely to feel low as the days get shorter through the winter months. This is caused by a lack of sunlight that halts the production of serotonin and melatonin, jointly affecting energy levels, mood and appetite. Linked to this disorder, a lack of natural light can also play havoc with our circadian rhythm which can affect our sleep and reinforce a low mood.
How can aluminium windows and doors help?
If you are struggling with a lack of natural light in the home, aluminium windows and doors could be the answer. Aluminium is a stronger material and so aluminium home improvements can afford to have slimmer sightlines than a lot of their timber and PVC-U counterparts. This means the frames are thinner which allows for more glass in the window or door you’re having installed and in turn, more natural light flooding into the space. With the clever glass solutions being utilised today, large expanses of glass can also help your home benefit from the warmth of the sun through solar gain, while counteracting overheating.
In addition to this, aluminium windows and doors offer fantastic energy efficiency which means that while they let lots of light in, they also keep your home cosy and warm. They now contain something called a thermal break which is a piece of additional material inserted inside the aluminium frame that effectively creates two sections – an inside section and an outside section. This technology stops the heat transfer between indoors and outdoors and prevents condensation from forming. These technological advances mean that some of our own Reynaers at Home windows for example can already achieve an A++ Window Energy Rating.
Explore the potential of aluminium windows and doors
If you have been concerned about the lack of natural light in your home, for day-to-day life, or for work purposes, it could be time to explore the potential of upgrading your windows and doors to let in more light. Aluminium is a great option, but to ensure the best experience from researching, to ordering, to having your new products installed, it’s worth finding a trustworthy installer that will give you advice and care throughout. You can find your carefully selected local Reynaers at Home Partner here, all of whom adhere to a strict code of conduct to ensure you get the very best service and the very best home transformation for your well-being needs.
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