As a designer/builder it was always important for me to pay attention to the notion of "form follows function." Too much modern architecture allows function to follow form. In other words if you have a "great-idea," the functional aspect might become secondary. I suggest that in some cases the installation might not be such a "great-idea" if problems develop later on.
Take the skylight on the following roof. While it might be considered cool to have a skylight in the vaulted ceiling above the entryway----it is not such a good idea that it is located right in the path of the valley and gutter drainage above. Skylights already fight a sometimes deserved reputation for leaking, and to add this level of challenge to it seems a little risky.
Way back when this home was just scratches of ideas on a piece of paper, someone had to make the decision that this would not be a problem----or that somehow magic would happen. It would have been better to have figured out a way to deal with it at the design stage than years latter when the only solution might be to eliminate the skylight (not a bad choice in my opinion either). I would rather see light for these kinds of designs be provided by clerestory windows than skylights.
Another way these types of installations come to be is that during construction someone says,"Hey, wouldn't it be cool to have a skylight here in the entryway?" So, it gets added without fully evaluating all the ramifications.
Charles Buell
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Charlie, I think most of the time it is a later addition other than an original design element. I have seen this stuff so many times you wonder did anyone tell the homeowners it was a bad idea and why. That being said I have spoken to builders who will tell you there are clients that don't care about functionality. They ignore the advice and figure you can wave a magic hammer and make what ever they want work with out problems. This is especially prevalent when the person has an obscenely large construction budget.
Oh yea, great placement of that skylight! Maybe they wanted the water to pour into their house someday.
James, I am surprised the design doesn't include appropriately placed planters or buckets below:)
Jim & Maria---kind of like another shower?
Interesting viewpoint.... and probably right. It's a skylight, waiting to leak.
So... when seeing this, do you make mention of it to your inspection clients?
I mean, the skylight is not currently leaking, nor is there currently anything wrong with it... it's just in a poor location, and probably needs to be inspected (by the homowner) regularly... and will always be a maintenance issue).
The manufacturer claimed the window didn't leak, so the homeowner was just giving it the toughest test they could. Well, it's possible.
When you look at plans and specs things look different, as I'm sure you know. The "best laid plans" syndrome. Maybe a little Murphy's Law thrown in.
Alan, for sure I do. I recommend that the area be maintained free of debris and that the interior be monitored for signs of leaking. I also will usually recommend some options for upgrading----possibly to be done in conjunction with when the roof is replaced. For example in the house I have pictured, by reversing the slope of the gutter to drain the other way there would be 50% less water dumping on the skylight. Also a diverter could be installed to drain the valley around the skylight. Otherwise improvements get pretty costly. Eliminating the skylight all together is of course another option.
could we install a small "cricket" above the window??
Maybe----or put the window in as a "diamond"----or a round one----lots of options better than what was chosen.
Charles, in a lot of cases, the decisions aren't even made by the architects, but homeowners and contractors who come up with the idea after the home is built. Home improvements?
An accident waiting to happen, as in a really bad rain storm. Get the buckets!
Charles, the placement surprises me.
I remember we wanted to add a kitchen skylight when we placed an addition on our former house about 5 years ago. After measuring everything, it was too close to the roof valley for the local code (I think it was 1.5 feet and needed to be 3 feet away). Because of the configuration of the A/C ducts in the attic, it couldn't be placed the additional distance away, so we passed on it. And it probably would not have passed the county inspection if we had gone ahead.
Here we had a contractor passing up additional business because he cared about doing it right.
Patricia, one has to love the "wide" definition of "improvement":)
Rebecca, sure seems like it.
Fred---sounds like a smart builder.
I'm assuming you found some evidence of leakage...if not, I'm very surprised.
Jim, the truth about this house is that I was inspecting the one next door, so I have no idea:) Just found it interesting blog fodder.
I wonder if the thing leaked? It does seem like a horrid place to have a skylight.
I have become friends with the guy next door----perhaps one day I will find out.
Maybe they could install a pretty fountain below it just in case.
Charlie,
I understand your point. The most common screwup that I see, on that order, is the electric mast smack dab it a valley.
Charles, I guess the gutter isn't helping this situation either...
Just another one of the many STUPID things I've seen builders do. And they wonder why the public doesn't trust them!
That's the "storm water conservation funnel," I am surprised that with all of your "green" experience you don't recognize it.
It funnels rain water into the home to be used for flushing the toilets and watering plants and what not.
It is cleverly disguised as a skylight.
Jim you are always so adept at figuring these things out for me---how DO you do it?:)