My parents’ house has a skylight that opens and closes, driven by an electric motor. The clear opening is 10′ x 10′, and the rolling section is 11′ x 11′. It was made over 30 years ago by a company called rollomatic roof. Its frame has severe rust, and the motor’s shot. I need to replace it, and the replacement has to have some way of opening and closing it for vertillation. We’re not tied to having the whole thing roll open, we could go with panels that open on hinges, like awning windows. Any suggestions? Recommendations for manufacturers?
Thanks —
— J.S.
Replies
First have you tried restoring them. Replacing the motor and cleaning and paint the frame?
Here is a link to a forum where the guy used the Rollomatic a couple of years ago. So you might contact him and see if he has a contact for the company.
http://www.eichlernetwork.com/forum_7.html
Velux and others make motor driven openable skylights. I am sure that they are not that big. So you would need to build up a frame and install a bank of them. Probably a mix of fixed and openable units.
Edited 6/4/2002 12:24:19 PM ET by Bill Hartmann
Alas, the rollomatic is a horrible design, and has leaked quite consistently for thirty years. Now the box beams made of thin galvanized steel have started to rust through from the inside, so complete replacement looks like the only option. I'll be glad to see the last of the trough tracks held down by flat head screws that channel water into the house, the open frame motor with just a sheet metal cover over the top....
-- J.S.
John
Depending on how creative you want to get look at the suppliers that advertise in FHB to sell al framing and seals to make you own sun porch. Look and see if any othem offer supllies for an opening section.