What to Do When Skylights Aren't an Option
Many people love having skylights in their homes. Not only do they bring in extra light, but they are also visually appealing, can offer improved ventilation, and can help you keep your home a little warmer in the winter. However, skylights aren't right for everyone, and depending on the construction of your home, installing a skylight may not even be possible.
Reasons you may not want to install skylights include:
- You don't want to bring additional heat into the house
- The area where you want additional light is too small for a skylight
- You do not like the look of a skylight
- Your roof cannot accommodate a skylight
- Skylights aren't in your budget
If you are in a position where you are looking for ways to brighten up your home but don't want skylights, you may feel like you don't have any options. But you do! Keep reading to find out more.
Solar Tubular Lights
Sometimes also referred to as sun lights or solar tubes, solar tubular lights are a great alternative to skylights. They are specially designed to bring light into your interior spaces without requiring the same space and installation requirements of skylights. These lights are used in both residential and commercial settings.
Installation involves a dome on your roof that collects sunlight which is then reflected down a tube into your home. Some tubes are fixed and go straight down from the roof into your home. Others are flexible or bent to allow light to travel to interior areas without direct roof access or to accommodate a pitched roof. Inside, solar tube lights resemble recessed or can lighting. The very bottom of the light has a diffuser to direct the light coming in. Different diffusers are available depending on your lighting needs.
While they don't bring in as much light as a skylight, solar tubular lights are still very effective at lighting your home. They can also be installed in areas without direct sunlight access, such as dark entryways and interior bathrooms.
Benefits of solar tubular lights include:
- Less expensive than skylights to install
- Can be installed in areas where skylights can't be
- Won't bring additional heat into your home
- Take up less space on your roof
- Improves energy efficiency
Solar tubular lights can be a great option for many people, but are they right for you? Below we answer some frequently asked questions about solar tube lights to help you decide for yourself.
Solar Tube Installation FAQs
One of the most common questions we are asked is how much do solar tubular lights cost? Because they vary in size, pricing can range, but on average, they cost around $500-$1,000. The average skylight cost is about $1,750 to $2,000. So, solar tubular lights can be a more economical choice. Relatedly, solar tube lights are also much quicker to install, in some cases only taking a couple of hours.
We are also often asked about what maintenance is like for solar tube lights? The answer is very little. Solar tubular lights are almost maintenance-free. Inside your home, you will want to make sure that the diffuser cover is clean, as dust and debris can get in the way of the sunlight coming in. However, this only needs to be done once or twice a year. The external portions of the sun light should be reviewed when your roof is inspected yearly. Beyond this, you shouldn't have to do anything to your tube lights unless you see a problem (which is rare).
If you are looking for a way to bring more light into your home, but don't want a skylight, you should consider a solar tub light. Call Lyons Roofing to learn more about these lights. Our team is standing by to answer your questions.