Select Your Location
How to Add Sunlight to a Dark Room
If you’re a homeowner struggling with dark spaces in your home that desperately need natural light, you’re not the only one. Luckily, there’s a quick and easy solution – Solatube Tubular Skylights. Continue reading below to learn how these modern skylights work, tips on how to aesthetically incorporate them in your own home and the great benefits that come along with them. Get ready to brighten up your living spaces!
How do Tubular Daylighting Devices Work?
Tubular Daylighting Devices, or Tubular Skylights, secure the sun’s light on the roof to route it into those dark interior spaces in a home.
Capturing the Sunlight
Tubular Skylights come with a rooftop dome on the exterior of the home, which is in charge of capturing the rays of light. Even if it’s not peak daylight time or if it’s a cloudy day, these Solatube devices draw in the rays from any angle and maximize the light captured.
Transferring the Sunlight
Next, the natural light is channeled down the world’s most reflective tube using a material called Spectralight® Infinity Tubing, maintaining brightness, even around corners. Whether the path is clear or obstructed by attic space, this reflective tube can bend to guide natural light to the exact location it’s needed in your home.
Interior Diffusion
A diffuser is securely affixed to the ceiling inside your home, allowing even distribution of the natural light across the dark room. Diffusing the light also allows these devices to promote visual comfort by preventing and eliminating glare.
Additions for Nighttime, Dimming and More
Solatube Tubular Skylights are much more than just skylights – optional accessories are made to fit your unique needs.
You can dim – or control – the amount of sunlight entering your home with the solar-powered Daylight Dimmer, add subtle nighttime lighting with the solar-powered NightLight and/or add full LED lighting with the integrated LED light-kit. You can even add a ventilation kit inside your tubular skylight for bathrooms, laundry and mud rooms.
The Many Benefits of Tubular Daylighting Devices
Now it’s time to discuss the many benefits of adding Tubular Skylights to your home.
Energy Efficient and Cost-Effective
Tubular Skylights have both monetary and energy use benefits. The substantial amount of natural daylight provided by these devices can help you eliminate electric lighting entirely during the day, leading to a decrease in your energy consumption overall. Plus, the reduced heat load from using less electric lighting will also improve the efficiency of your HVAC system. All of these benefits lead to a reduced monthly energy bill!
Your Living Space Aesthetic
These devices come with a range of options when it comes to style, allowing you to choose the right one that fits your room’s aesthetic.
The reflective tubing technology guarantees consistent light delivery, enhancing the space while at the same time not overwhelming it. This efficient method of home lighting shows that tubular skylights seamlessly integrate with both your architectural and interior design goals for your living space.
Maintenance Frequency and Durability
Unlike a traditional skylight, Solatube Tubular Skylights are made to last longer and require minimal upkeep. The exterior dome is made from acrylic or polycarbonate, making it resistant to weather with the occasional requirement of some cleaning.
These systems also efficiently prevent the penetration of water, which can typically be problematic for traditional skylights. Solatube Tubular Skylights come with a steel piece called a flashing. These flashings work with any roof type and prevent any possibility of leaks due to their seamless steel construction. The circular design of flashings causes rain and debris to divert from the rooftop dome, making them maintenance-free too.
UV Radiation and Heat Transfer Minimization
Solatube Tubular Skylights are designed to effectively diminish unwanted aspects of sunlight, including UV radiation and excessive heat. This is a necessity for preserving the interior of your home from fading, as well as maintaining comfortable temperatures indoors.
The Installation
Whether your home is small or large, there is minimal work and no structural modifications needed in order to install a Solatube Tubular Skylight.
Here are the steps:
- A circular hole is cut into the roof to accommodate the Tubular Skylight.
- To guarantee a leak-proof system, a Solatube flashing is then placed around the roof opening, tailored to your specific roof type.
- The reflective tubing, which serves as the ductwork for sunlight, is assembled from the roof to the interior ceiling. Its innovative design helps bypass any plumbing, electrical wiring or other attic obstructions.
- On the ceiling, a diffuser or decorative fixture is installed so that natural light is evenly dispersed into the room.
Installation Consultation
Solatube Premier Dealers are equipped to evaluate factors like local sunlight conditions, offering insights into the cost-effectiveness of installing one or more of these devices in your residence. A professional consultation can help you take advantage of natural light while ensuring optimal value for your investment. Find a Solatube Premier Dealer/Certified Installer near you here.
Energy Efficient Home Improvement Tax Credit
Investing in Tubular Skylights might make you eligible for a federal tax credit, created as an incentive for people to use energy-efficient home improvements. With the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, you can claim 30% of the cost of installing eligible tubular skylights.
Are you ready to transform your home with sunlight?
Take the first step to a brighter home by visiting Solatube.com or by calling 888.SOLATUBE to schedule a free virtual or in-home consultation with your local Solatube Premier Dealer.
Published on: February 26, 2024