How Solatube Tubular Skylights Work on Cloudy Days
Skylights are a fantastic way to bring more natural light into your home, creating bright, open spaces that make any room feel more inviting. However, many homeowners shy away from installing them because they worry that they will only work when the sun is shining brightly.
But here’s the thing: not all skylights are created equal. While it is certainly true that some skylights will struggle to perform during overcast weather, Solatube’s tubular skylights will continue to provide an abundance of natural light no matter how cloudy it is outside.
That is because, unlike old-school skylights which rely heavily on direct sunlight to illuminate a space, Solatube’s tubular skylights use advanced technology to capture ambient daylight and turn it into bright, consistent interior light regardless of the weather.
But how exactly does it all work? Let’s dive in and find out!
Understanding the Technology Behind Solatube Tubular Skylights
Old-school skylights are typically at the mercy of sunny skies, but Solatube tubular skylights are designed differently. With a suite of advanced light-capturing and diffusion features, they ensure your space remains well-lit even in overcast conditions.
Here’s how each component works to make cloudy days brighter:
- Light Capture: Raybender® 3000 Technology
The process begins with Solatube’s unique dome lens, the Raybender® 3000. This patented daylight-capturing dome uses a Fresnel lens – a specialized lens that efficiently captures and redirects sunlight from different angles. Unlike traditional skylights, which may struggle on cloudy days, the Raybender® 3000 lens is designed to capture ambient light from low angles – and to maximize light capture even when skies are overcast.Because of its ability to adapt to different lighting conditions, the Raybender® 3000 can deliver stable lighting throughout the day – maintaining brightness levels that make indoor spaces feel warm and welcoming no matter how cold or cloudy it is outside.
- Enhanced Reflectivity: LightTracker™ Reflector
Once it passes through the Raybender® 3000, the captured light is then directed through the LightTracker™ Reflector – an in-dome reflector that is designed to maximize light output by targeting and redirecting low-angle sunlight.When positioned strategically, this reflector works to direct every possible bit of natural light into the tube, ensuring that even weak sunlight on cloudy days reaches your space effectively.
- High-Efficiency Transfer: Spectralight® Infinity Tubing
After light is captured by the Raybender® 3000 and boosted by the LightTracker™ Reflector, it travels down a tube made from the world’s most reflective material – Spectralight® Infinity. This tubing is designed to transfer light with incredible efficiency, creating a nearly lossless path for the light as it moves through the tube and into your home.In fact, testing shows that Spectralight® Infinity tubing reflects as much as 99.7% of the light it encounters. This feature is crucial for maintaining high light quality on cloudy days when every bit of captured light counts.
Of course, Spectralight® Infinity’s high reflectivity doesn’t just retain brightness; it also preserves the natural color of sunlight. This means that the light that enters your space looks and feels like real daylight. It does not appear to be in any way dimmed or altered by the tube’s interior.
- Nighttime Illumination: Integrated Solar Electric Module
Solatube’s tubular skylights even have a solution for cloudy nights: an integrated solar electric module.During daylight hours, this module uses a small photovoltaic panel to capture solar energy. This energy is then stored and used to power a soft LED nightlight that automatically turns on when it is dark outside.
This feature is particularly useful in areas like hallways, bathrooms, or closets, where consistent low lighting is beneficial for safety and convenience.
Solatube Tubular Skylights: An Affordable Way to Brighten a Cloudy Day
With the impressive array of advanced technology featured in Solatube’s tubular skylights, it is natural to assume that installing one might require a significant financial investment. In reality, however, these skylights are surprisingly affordable – especially when you consider the fact that they qualify for federal tax credits.
Currently, this tax credit is set at 30%. This rate will remain in effect through December 31st, 2032, after which it will gradually decline until it reaches 0% in January of 2035.
If you would like to brighten up your home with one of our tubular skylights before the tax credit disappears, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your local Solatube dealer. They will be more than happy to walk you through your options and get the ball rolling on the installation process.