How Solar-Powered Skylights Work
A solar-powered skylight looks like any other venting skylight from inside, but it has a thin solar panel built into the top of the frame. The panel charges a small battery, and the battery runs a quiet motor that opens and closes the sash. A rain sensor on the frame closes it automatically at the first drops.
Because it powers itself, there is no wiring run through your ceiling, no electrician and no wall switch. That is why solar has become our most requested upgrade for kitchens, bedrooms and any ceiling you cannot reach.
The 5 Reasons Toronto Homeowners Choose Solar Over Manual
- High ceilings. Cathedral and loft ceilings are out of reach for a manual rod.
- Automatic rain closing. The rain sensor closes it even when nobody is home.
- No wiring. No electrician, no holes in finished ceilings, no ESA permit for the VSS.
- Remote control. Open it from bed, the couch or your phone.
- Summer comfort. Hot air rises and escapes at the ceiling, cooling the room faster.
Residential Solar Skylights
Kitchens
Let cooking heat out at the highest point, which is exactly where a Velux VSS solar skylight sits. A solar venting unit over the cooktop clears steam and summer heat on the same remote you already use for the kitchen lights, with no switch wiring through the tile backsplash. Most kitchen installs run $4,500 to $7,500 CAD for a VSS, commissioned and paired in one day.
Bedrooms
Pair with solar blackout blinds on one remote, so the same handset that opens the skylight at night also blacks it out in the morning. The Velux VSS solar skylight runs from $4,500 CAD installed and the matching solar blackout blind is an add-on that costs less than a hardwired blind. Honest to god, sleep better and wake up to nothing but sun.
Bathrooms
Clear steam without touching anything, which is exactly what a Velux VSS over a windowless upstairs bath does. The rain sensor closes the unit the moment a Toronto thunderstorm rolls in, so you never have to remember to shut it before bed. Most bathroom installs fall in the lower end of our VSS pricing.
Cathedral Ceilings
The classic solar use case. A Velux VSS at the peak of a vaulted ceiling opens and closes from a remote or app, so nobody has to climb a 20-foot ladder with a manual rod. Pricing runs from $4,500 CAD and most cathedral installs are done in a single day including commissioning and remote setup.
Attic Lofts
Vent summer heat that would otherwise sit under the peak of a finished attic. A Velux VSS pulls that hot air out by remote or app, and the rain sensor closes it if a sudden shower rolls in while the loft is unattended. Most loft installs are a one-day swap if the opening already exists.
Stairwells
Unreachable units become easy to use when a Velux VSS at the top of a tall stairwell opens and closes from the bottom of the stairs. Solar power means no wire run up through the wall and no electrician, which is exactly why the VSS is our most-requested stairwell unit. Most installs are a one-day visit including commissioning.
Commercial Solar Skylights
Offices
Remote ventilation without wiring through finished ceiling tiles, which is the main reason offices pick solar over hardwired. Each Velux VSS pairs with a wall keypad or app so facilities can schedule morning venting before staff arrive, and the rain sensor handles the unexpected. Most office VSS installs run on a weekend with no business disruption.
Clinics
Quiet motors over patient areas where loud operation would defeat the point. Modern VSS motors are barely audible at the peak of a vaulted ceiling, which is why clinics over exam rooms and waiting areas pick solar. We schedule installs outside clinic hours and clean the room before staff arrive.
Restaurants
Vent heat from dining rooms that get uncomfortably warm at the back during a busy service. A Velux VSS at the high point of a peaked ceiling clears heat on a wall keypad, with no electrician needed. We usually schedule the install for a closed day or after hours, so the dining room never sees a crew in the rafters.
Condo Amenities
Managed from a keypad or app, which is exactly what condo corporations and property managers want. A Velux VSS in a party room or amenity space pairs to a wall keypad so the building can vent heat before a booking without giving residents a remote. We supply COI for the board package and handle the status certificate paperwork.
Specialty Solar Options
Solar Blinds
Blackout or light-filtering on the same remote as the skylight, which is the whole point of going solar with the blind too. No electrician, no extra wires, and the blinds pair to the same handset that runs the VSS. We usually spec a solar blackout on bedrooms and a light-filtering on living spaces.
Velux Active Sensors
Open and close based on indoor climate, so the skylight reacts to temperature, humidity and CO2 without anyone touching a remote. The Velux Active kit adds scheduling and triggers to the VSS or VCS and ties into common smart home systems. We quote Active as an add-on after the assessment so we know what sensors the room needs.
Solar Replacement Upgrades
Same-size swap from fixed to VSS, the most common solar job we do because the curb and opening already exist. From $3,500 CAD installed, including the flashing kit, commissioning and remote pairing. There is no new drywall and usually no permit, which is why the swap is the cheapest way to add venting to an existing fixed opening.
Fakro FXP Preselect
Electric option with keypad control for renovations or new builds where the wiring is easy to run and an ESA permit is already part of the scope. The FXP runs $4,500 to $6,800 CAD installed and pairs to a wall keypad. We recommend the FXP over the VSS when the home already needs electrical rough-in for other reasons.
Solar Skylight Models
| Model | Power | Installed price |
|---|---|---|
| Velux VSS | Integrated solar + battery | $4,500 to $7,500 |
| Fakro FXP | Hardwired preselect electric | $4,500 to $6,800 |
| VSS upgrade | Same opening, same size code | $3,500 to $6,500 |
Every solar install includes the correct Velux or Fakro flashing kit, Grace Ice & Water Shield and an insulated shaft. Integrated solar units are installed in line with TSSA solar electric requirements, and hardwired units under ESA permit.
Our Solar Expertise
We check roof orientation and shading before recommending solar, because a north-facing slope under a big maple will charge slowly. We commission every unit, pair remotes and test the rain sensor before we leave. Our Rosedale kitchen project used three Velux VSS units with laminated glass, signed off by the architect on first inspection.
What Actually Stops Homeowners From Going Solar
“Solar won’t work in a Canadian winter.”
In our opinion, this is the most common myth. The battery handles normal use and recharges on short days.
“Motors are noisy.”
Modern VSS motors are quiet. Most people barely hear them.
“It must cost a lot more.”
The VSS starts at $4,500 installed and saves the cost of wiring, which usually cancels out the price difference between solar and a manual rod. Itemized quotes show the math, and we publish the full $4,500 to $7,500 band for the Velux VSS so you can see where you land before you book.
“What if it breaks?”
Manufacturer warranty plus our flashing warranty, and batteries are replaceable. The Velux VSS battery pack is a serviceable part that lasts many Toronto winters on a single charge, and our flashing warranty covers the leak-free side of the install. Honestly, batteries are the only realistic wear item on a solar skylight.
Solar Skylight Timeline
Assessment
Roof, sun and framing check before we recommend solar, because a north-facing slope under a big maple will charge slowly and a south or west exposure will run the VSS for years without thinking about it. We confirm framing depth for the rough-in and check attic access for the install crew. Most solar assessments fit inside an hour on site.
Ordering
One to two weeks for the Velux VSS or Fakro FXP plus the matching flashing kit from our local supply. Same-size replacement swaps are usually faster because the rough opening already exists, and we keep the common VSS sizes in stock for urgent jobs. Custom sizes and remote-matched blinds push delivery to the longer end.
Install Day
One day including commissioning, which means the unit is mounted, the battery is charged, the remote is paired and the rain sensor is tested before we leave. We walk you through open, close and rain-close on the same visit, and the itemized quote lists the install day as such with no hidden commissioning fees.
Demo
Remote, app and sensor walk-through on install day, including open, close, rain-auto-close and any Velux Active scheduling you want set up. We hand over the remote labelled and walk through the basic functions before we leave, and the sensor is tested with water so you can see it react. Most demos take 15 minutes.
Solar Skylight Cost in Toronto: What You Are Paying For
The Unit
Motor, battery, panel and sensor included in the VSS price, so the $4,500 to $7,500 CAD band is the full installed number with no add-on surprises. The Fakro FXP is similar in scope at $4,500 to $6,800, with the difference being the hardwired power supply and ESA permit line.
Flashing Kit
Matched to your roof.
Framing
New opening or same-size replacement, with most VSS installs being same-size swaps that skip framing entirely. New openings need a framed rough-in before the unit arrives, which adds a step and a line item, but it is the right scope for additions and major renos. Honestly, if the opening already exists, a VSS swap is the easiest skylight job we do.
Shaft
Insulated and finished to the same standard we use on a manual install, because a solar unit does not change the shaft scope. Most shafts are short on same-size swaps and a bit longer on cathedral ceilings, and we match the drywall level and paint-ready finish to the rest of the room.
Blinds
Optional solar blinds that pair to the same remote as the VSS, no electrician or extra wiring needed. Most solar installs add a blackout blind in the bedroom and a light-filtering in living rooms, and the cost is itemized so you can pick which rooms get one.
Smart Integration
Velux Active optional, which adds climate-based opening and closing to the VSS or VCS. We install the indoor sensor, pair it to the Velux Active app and walk through the schedules on handover. Honest to god, the scheduling alone saves the cost on most installs.
Solar Skylight Installation vs Replacement vs Repair: Which Service You Need
New opening: this page. Existing fixed unit: Velux replacement with a VSS. Motor or sensor issue on an existing unit: skylight repair.
Fixed, Venting or Solar: Choosing Your Skylight Type
Fixed for light only, manual venting if you can reach it, solar for everything else.
Solar Skylight Timeline in Toronto: What to Expect Week-by-Week
Assessment in week one, delivery in one to two weeks, install and commissioning in a day.
Why Toronto Homeowners Trust Our Solar Installs
Certified for Velux and Fakro since 2004, with WSIB-covered in-house crews who wire and commission the units themselves instead of handing them to a sub-trade. Hardwired solar installs are filed under an ESA permit at cost as a separate line on every quote, and integrated solar units are installed in line with TSSA solar electric requirements. Every VSS or FXP we set is commissioned, paired to your remote and tested against our founder’s solar checklist before we leave. Trust us, you’re in good hands.
