Best Rated Sun Tunnel Skylights for a Large Family Room
Nosotros put a lot of work into designing, researching, writing, editing and reviewing these articles. Please consider supporting united states through making a purchase from one of the affiliate links included in this post.
Good lighting can be difficult to come by during the 24-hour interval in a room with hardly any windows. Turning on the light can lead to unnecessary energy consumption and rack up the electricity pecker. Imagine a way y'all could have natural calorie-free during the day, in any room you lot want. Solar tubes have revolutionized sustainable light sources by bringing sunlight into your home.
It'due south so simple. A solar tube, often referred to as a sunday tunnel, is a metallic tube through your roof. Similar to a skylight, but much smaller and more cost-effective. They don't actually use any solar electricity but rather brand way to let the sunlight smooth through and light up your room. Not only will you be able to see improve, only you'll feel better getting your vitamin D when you're indoors. Increase the overall energy efficiency of your house – perchance even moving toward becoming a Zero Net Energy (ZNE) home – by investing in one of these side by side-generation light sources.
Editor's Picks
Before nosotros explore the tiptop 10 products on our list, let's quickly take a expect at iii best products in their respective categories:
All-time Overall
Natural Calorie-free Energy Systems And Solar Tubes
Natural Light 13 inch solar tube is overall the all-time product on our listing. It receives a high customer rating due to the extremely high value for money it creates through its specifications and features. It has the force of illuminating 300 sq ft of area in your home which is equivalent to 500 watts and comes with a prismatic interior diffuser. It is Free energy STAR qualified and has the highest energy efficiency in the market. Lastly, this production comes with a whopping 25-year warranty!
All-time Upkeep
Natural Light 10 Inch Solar Tubes And Free energy Systems
Natural Lite has manufactured this 10-inch solar tube for the masses. It comes at a low cost with all the qualities of a superlative-quality product. This is an NFRC qualified product, and then you tin expect high energy efficiency. Information technology is a highly durable product due to the all-encompassing hurricane testing that has been performed on this 4 feet long tubing. It illuminates 150 sq ft of area in your home with an equivalence of 300 watts.
Best Kit
Natural Light 13 Inch Tubular Skylight Kit And Solar Tubes
Natural Light 13 inch skylight kit is the most effective and efficient solar kit in the market. It is Free energy STAR qualified for its loftier energy efficiency. Information technology is also hurricane tested to ensure loftier durability. This solar tube illuminates 300 sq ft of area and comes with a 25-yr warranty.
How Do Solar Tubes Piece of work
If you've always had the pleasance of staying in a home with skylights built into the ceiling, then you'll already know just how transformational the integration of sunlight into your home can be for aesthetics, visibility, and fifty-fifty your own mental wellness. However, not all of us have the space or coin to install skylights.
Solar tubes are a phenomenal, and much cheaper alternative to skylights. Solar tubes direct outdoor ambience and sunlight into your dwelling, via tubing installed from your roof to the room(southward) y'all wish to burnish. Most solar tubes (also known equally 'sun tunnels', 'sun lights', 'daylight pipes', and 'light tubes') brainstorm with a weatherproof, transparent acrylic dome, which is stock-still to the roof of your house. These domes are specifically engineered to maximise their exposure to the sun, thus ensuring that they capture and transfer as much sunlight every bit possible to your home.
From the rooftop dome of the solar tube, natural low-cal passes through (often flexible) tubing lined with ultra reflective material – essentially a continuous mirror. Sunlight passes through the dome of the solar tube so bounces off this reflective lining to pass downwards the length of the tubing. (It'south worthwhile knowing that the length of solar tubes tin exist extended indefinitely, the only drawback being a slight decrease in brightness by the time it reaches the interior.) At the end of the tubing, natural light reaches the ceiling diffuser, a disc between ane and 2 anxiety in diameter, which distribute the captured sunlight safely and efficiently, maximising brightness and thermal protection.
The very all-time quality solar tubes lose next to no sunlight during transportation, and can transform windowless rooms into havens of sunlight, or but increase the natural lite of regular rooms. What's more than, if you're concerned about the look of several large domes on the roof of your firm, at that place are solar tubes out there which capture sunlight through apartment windows (like mini-skylights) gear up flush with the roof.
Nigh solar tubes come UV protected, meaning that either at the point of the sunlight's contact with the roof, or at the signal at which it passes through the ceiling diffuser and into your domicile, it will be filtered so as to ensure that the lite reaching you is not harmful to your eyes or pare. In other words, y'all get to experience all the joy of natural sunlight on your face whilst indoors, without having to worry almost applying sunscreen.
Relatively cheap, piece of cake to install, and requiring next to no maintenance, solar tubes are a carbon-zero alternative to electrical lighting, and can completely alter the look and feel of a room; especially small, nighttime parts of a house such as laundry rooms or walk-in storage cupboards.
Whilst nosotros call them 'solar tubes', they do not generate any electricity like 'solar panels' do. All the same, this does not mean that the way they work isn't green or free energy efficient. Just similar solar energy, solar tubes save yous coin on electricity bills by making the power of the sunday work to your advantage.
Solar Tubes Vs Skylights
The obvious comparing to make with solar tubes is skylights. Skylights are substantially windows built into the roof of your home, tilted to face up the dominicus and stars. As such, they also bring the natural light of outdoors indoors. Additionally, they provide a view of the sky which solar tubes lack. At that place are many such comparisons and contrasts to be made between the 2 solar installations, and they are most definitely worth considering, especially if yous've all the same to brand your heed up equally to how you want to renovate your home. Allow's accept a expect.
Toll
Ane of the biggest appeals of solar tubes is their cost, especially when compared with skylights. On average, a professionally installed solar tube may cost you somewhere in the region of $750. Whereas skylights, depending on the nature and complexity of the installation, can cost anywhere from $1500 to in backlog of $3000. This is mostly to do with the differences in the two installation processes. Skylights virtually often crave the installation of new header beams, dry out wall, and all-encompassing reconstruction of the firm. Solar tubes, on the other mitt, can exist fitted at a fraction of the cost, whilst requiring next to no structural changes to the home. They are particularly applied and price effective in homes with lots of attic infinite (since the tubes can pass right through the attic space, whereas a skylight would take to exist built into it).
Space
Related to the cost benefits of solar tubes are the space saving benefits. Solar tubes, even if up to 2 feet in diameter, still have a relatively small footprint. Well-nigh come with flexible tubing allowing the installer to build them into the house, rather than rebuilding the house around them. Their domes take up petty space on the roof, whilst their tubes tin pass right through attic and loft spaces, extended indefinitely to any room in the house (no thing where on the roof the sunlight contact point is established). On the other hand, skylight installation requires massive structural changes be made to the roof itself, with supporting header beams and drywall taking up huge amounts of attic space.
Ease of Installation
Nosotros've already touched on this in the above sections, only information technology should exist pointed out that solar tubes are actually piece of cake to install. If you're particularly handy with DIY, or fancy giving yourself a claiming, you tin even buy DIY solar tube kits for about $300, bringing the (already affordable) cost correct down. Merely even if you lot're not into the idea of installing a solar tube yourself, considering they are and so easy to install compared to skylights, you'll non have to shell out lots of cash and long hours to labourers to have one in your home.
Maintenance
Having a view of the heaven fed direct into your habitation via a skylight is dandy… until a bird (or several) leaves its mark on the drinking glass, or until snowfall blocks out the lite, or dust or leaves settle on it. Skylights require fairly regular maintenance, meaning you'll take to go up on your roof quite often in society to proceed the window clear and clean. On the other hand, solar tubes do not confront the aforementioned problem. Their domed structure keeps the worst of the weather and debris from settling on them, ensuring you experience minimal disruption to the levels of natural low-cal entering your home. What's more than, many solar tubes come with a condensation release – particularly handy in areas of consistently loftier humidity – again negating the need for constant maintenance.
Aesthetic
Of course, solar tubes can't trump skylights in every department. When it comes to the aesthetic of solar tubes versus skylights, at that place's no denying that a skylight is infinitely more pleasing to expect at. There's near nothing improve when indoors than beingness able to prevarication back and await up at the stars on a clear dark, or doze wistfully on your sofa or bed as big, puffy white clouds float languorously by, high above. Unfortunately, a view just isn't something which comes with a solar tube.
Heat
Similarly, skylights take the upper hand when it comes to their heat-catching capabilities. Skylights operate as function of what'southward called 'passive solar architecture' – architecture which, by its very nature, helps to warm the home and store heat to exist released overnight. Thanks to their large glass structure, skylights work as a kind of greenhouse, sending massive amounts of sunlight into the house and warming it as they do. Unfortunately, solar tubes are just too pocket-sized in construction to practice the same. Whilst they may bring a little oestrus with the lite, they cannot exist said to trap heat nor warm the house in the same manner in which skylights do.
Pros And Cons Of Solar Tubes
If you're the kind of person who likes to actually weigh up all of the arguments for and against something earlier buying it, then we sympathise. Even $300 (for a DIY solar tube kit) is non a sum to be frivolously spent, and knowing exactly what you're buying into is important for the conscientious consumer. Here are the various pros and cons of solar tubes.
Pros:
- Vitamin D – Co-ordinate to the various national institutes of wellness, besides as the Earth Health Organization, nearly Americans and Brits don't receive nearly one-half of the Vitamin D that they crave, in order to keep their pare and bodies healthy and happy. Solar tubes bring the sunlight of the outdoors directly within, meaning that even equally you walk nearly your house, you can be reaping the health benefits of the sunday.
- Cost and Installation – Solar tubes are relatively inexpensive (especially the DIY packs, and when y'all compare their costs to skylights), and what's more, they are not at all difficult to install. Even if you hire a professional to install your solar light for you, you tin expect not to pay much more than about $750 in all, compared to some $3000 you might spend installing a skylight.
- Energy Efficiency – Whilst they crave some initial investment, replacing some of your electric house lights with solar tubes is a surefire mode to salvage coin in the long run. Requiring null more than sunlight to brighten your habitation, solar tubes cost nix when information technology comes to your electricity bills. As with all dark-green and solar energy solutions, your new solar tube will pay for itself, and so some. As important is the positive environmental impact that you'll exist making if you substitute your electric lighting for solar tubes.
- Space Saving – Whether you lot've got a house with a roomy attic or merely have a fiddling space to play with, solar tubes can easily adapt. Their flexible tubing can worm its way through the tightest, winding spaces, and tin deliver the same levels of bright sunlight to your interior whether the distance between their filters and domes is modest or large.
- Natural Light Indoors – In dark or windowless rooms, it's tempting to try and brand them more hospitable with electric lights. All the same, electric lighting merely cannot concur a candle to the positive mental effects of 18-carat, natural sunlight. As such, there's really no improve alternative to solar tubes when it comes to renovating that muddied laundry room, or attic bedroom.
Cons:
- No view – One of the biggest drawbacks to solar tubes, for all their advantages, is undeniably their singled-out lack of a view. Given that solar tubes are posed equally a cheaper alternative to skylights, information technology'southward hard to avert the fact that they don't offering a view at all, let alone a view as regal as those offered past skylights.
- Minimal passive heating – Over again, when compared to skylights (as we've discussed in greater detail to a higher place), solar tubes fall short in the passive heat category, besides. Though they transport sunlight from the outside to the within, the heat of that sunlight is lost forth the manner. Every bit such, your domicile will not do good from the same reduction to heating bills as it might with a greenhouse-esque skylight.
- Aesthetics – Though pleasing on the center from the inside, some may non be quite so taken with their await on the exterior. The bulbous domes of solar tubes (where they're attached to the roof) can look a little odd, and whilst there are flush, window-like alternatives, these don't necessarily piece of work quite as well at capturing sunlight as the specifically-engineered domes do.
All-time Solar Tubes Reviewed
The Best Solar Tubes In 2021
Following are the peak 10 solar tubes currently bachelor in the market. Have a look and find the correct one for your home.
Natural Light Energy Systems And Solar Tubes
- Brand: Natural Lite
- Color: Black
- Finish Type: Powder-coated Aluminum
- Fabric: Aluminum
You are going to witness a lot of Natural Light'south solar tubes on our listing. Natural Low-cal is the leader in producing high-quality skylights, solar tubes, and other similar solar products. This detail tiptop-spot product is a 13-inch skylight kit that illuminates an area of up to 300 sq ft. Information technology lights up your dwelling like a 500 watts low-cal bulb and it comes with a domed prismatic interior diffuser. It fits perfectly with pitched fiberglass-cobblestone shingle roof types and comes with 4 feet of dominicus tubes. It is one of the virtually pop products on the market and it comes with a 25-year warranty.
Pros:
- 300 sq ft of range
- Domed prismatic interior diffuser
- ENERGY STAR qualified
- 25 years warranty
VELUX 10 Inch Double Strength Acrylic Rigid Skylight
- Brand: VELUX
- Color: Grey|grays
- Energy Star labeled for high efficiency.
- 99.99% silver reflective layer
VELUX is another pop make involved in producing high-quality solar tubes. This powerful, double-forcefulness solar tube is made from acrylic and top-of-the-range optics. This completely durable Velux sun-powered skylight is an alternative for electrical light that volition exist with you for an extended amount of fourth dimension. With x inches of highly reflective tubing, your room will be as bright every bit ever. With a 99.nine% silvery reflective layer, this light tube is perfect for your living room. Information technology is easy to install and comes with a 20-twelvemonth tunnel warranty. Save energy and the planet by using this tube light that doesn't demand a battery.
Pros:
- Stylish
- Easy to install and utilise
- Energy STAR qualified
- 20-yr tunnel warranty
Natural Light ten Inch Tubular Skylights And Solar Tubes
- Make: Natural Light
- Highest Quality Materials
- Hurricane tested and approved
Natural Calorie-free Solar 10 inch solar tubes are designed for flat roofs and are not applicable to metal roofs. These solar tubes are high-quality products with an NFRC certification as proof of energy efficiency. These are 4 anxiety dominicus tunnels with a domed prismatic diffuser. Each tube is equivalent to 300 watts and lights up a 150 sq ft of surface area in your domicile. This is a highly durable product and has a Florida code requirements blessing.
Pros:
- NFRC certification for energy efficiency
- Florida code requirements approval
- Highly Durable
- Domed prismatic interior diffuser
Natural Calorie-free 10 Inch Solar Tubes And Energy Systems
- Make: Natural Light
- Color: Black
- Born UV protection prevents fading on clothing, furniture and rugs.
- Energy STAR Qualified and NFRC Certified for Free energy Efficiency
Natural Light Energy Systems have designed and manufactured a lot of high-quality solar tubes and this product is no exception. This is a ten-inch tubular skylight that has built-in UV protection to safeguard your furniture and rugs from dangerous sun rays. This solar tunnel is both ENERGY STAR and NFRC certified. Thus, y'all can look the highest energy efficiency from this production. Lastly, this product comes with a 25-year warranty.
Pros:
- ENERGY STAR certified
- NFRC certified
- 25-year warranty
- Affordable Price
Velux America xiv Inch Solar Tubes And Tubular Skylights
- Make: Velux America
- Color: Gray | Grays
- Flex Tubing and Low Contour flashing.
Velux America xiv inch solar tubes are perfect products to illuminate your entire habitation in an eco-friendly mode. These solar tubes are installed in fiberglass-asphalt shingle roof types. Too, these tunnels require an easy DIY installation which requires less than 2 hours.
Pros:
- Highly efficient
- Easy to install and use
Natural Light 13 Inch Tubular Skylight Kit
- Make: Natural Light
- Colour: Aluminum
- Hurricane Tested/Approved
- Energy Starting time Qualified
Welcome natural lite into your home with this solar tube light that illuminates upwards to 300 square feet. Equating to 500 watts of light, y'all'll never take guessed your desired room could be so bright. It is Free energy STAR qualified likewise equally hurricane tested. Thus, you can expect loftier-quality build-quality with efficient lighting. The durable tube comes with a 25-yr warranty and will terminal you a lifetime since it doesn't delaminate, yellow, crack, or peel. This 13-inch model is a flat roof flashing for asphalt-type roofer installs.
Pros:
- ENERGY STAR qualified
- Hurricane tested
- 25-year warranty
- DIY solar tube installation
VELUX TMR fourteen Inch Sun Tunnel Tubular Skylight
- Make: VELUX
- Color: Grey|Grays
- 99. 99% argent reflective layer
- TCR Impact models bachelor
VELUX TMR solar tubes have a fourteen-inch diameter. This low-profile solar tube light comes with a flashing that integrates it into your roofline, making your habitation look fashionable and bright. The 99.nine% reflective layer provides you with more lite than yous could ever ask for. No need to hire anyone for the setup every bit it has been designed for easy installation in under 2 hours. For such lilliputian time, you'll be able to encounter conspicuously in your desired room every day. Put this solar tube calorie-free through whatever harsh conditions, and it'll survive as it'southward hurricane tested. If it's not long enough for y'all, don't worry, as you can always purchase actress tubing. This production comes with a twenty-year warranty, therefore yous don't have to purchase another solar light any time soon.
Pros:
- Hurricane tested
- Highly constructive
- 20-yr warranty
Natural Light xiii inch Tubular Skylight
- Brand: Natural Low-cal
- Domed Prismatic Interior Diffuser
- Energy Star Qualified
This great solar tube low-cal illuminates as much as 300 foursquare feet of area, making it perfect for larger spaces such equally warehouses. You'll feel like yous're experiencing up to 500 watts of electrical lite. This product contains four feet of solar tubes which are designed to be installed in fiberglass/asphalt shingle-type roofs. No demand to always worry about the free energy efficiency every bit this light is ENERGY STAR qualified. This ways you won't experience any lag in its functioning in the long run. Everything you lot need to take high-quality natural light in your room is included along with a 25-twelvemonth warranty, meaning no extra expenses.
Pros:
- ENERGY STAR qualified
- DIY solar tube installation
- Highly durable
- 25 -twelvemonth warranty
VELUX TMR ten Inch Solar Tubes Sun Tunnel
- Make: VELUX
- Color: Grayness|Grays
- Highly reflective tunnels
VELUX's highly reflective solar tubes will bring the ideal amount of natural low-cal into your home. These solar tubes are perfect for those who have depression profile roofing materials such every bit shingles and shakes, meaning they won't be seen by whatsoever passers-by. You're provided with the unabridged kit needed for information technology to work effectively, such as a metal flashing and ceiling ring. These solar tubes are highly cogitating tunnels to provide an optimum level of lighting in your habitation.
Pros:
- DIY installation
- Highly effective
Natural Light 13 Inch Solar Tubes and Tubular Skylight Kit
- Brand: Natural Light
- Highest Quality Materials
- Hurricane tested and approved
Natural Lite's 13 inches solar tubes are excellent for you if yous have a larger domicile or desire one of these lights for a commercial building. It tin withstand harsh weather condition as it has been hurricane tested and has the approval of Florida code requirements. This also proves information technology is durable, which is 1 of the all-time benefits a product can accept. Provided with a 300 sq ft illumination capacity, yous'll be having bright natural light in your home in no fourth dimension. The amount of infinite this small tube can light up is impressive, and you'll be shocked why you never had one earlier.
Pros:
- NFRC certified
- Hurricane tested
- Highly durable
Buyer's Guide
Solar tubes come in all shapes and sizes. These tubes are designed to serve different customers and are installed on different roof types. They have a lot of illumination capabilities to light up area infinite appropriately. Post-obit are the features that tin assist you lot decide most the right product for your home.
Rigid or Flexible
There are two types of solar tubes; rigid and flexible. You'll desire to choose the right one for your dwelling house depending on the distance y'all want the light to travel. A rigid low-cal will normally give off more calorie-free than a flexible i because it offers a straight path down to the room. However, these typically are much more expensive and then take that into account too. A flexible light (flexible tube) is amend for brusk distances and is improve suited for flat roofs.
Roof Blazon
Every bit you can see from the recommended products, many of them aren't suitable for all roof types. The majority of solar tubes out there are designed just for roofs made out of cobblestone. All the same, suppose your roof is made out of tile or metal. In that instance, you lot may be able to make them compatible using a flashing adapter. A big amount of these tubes luckily come with one as part of their kit. You lot'll also need a flashing adapter if your roof has a slope between 15 to 60 degrees.
Budget
Y'all'll well-nigh likely accept to have some coin spare if you are looking for a loftier-quality sunday tunnel. They can cost up to $k, and sometimes you may have to pay actress to get someone to install it for you. However, if y'all were looking to buy a skylight, the cost for those is closer to $2000. Therefore, a solar tube may be the cheaper option to become free energy-efficient light in your house.
Size of Your Room
Different sized solar tubes are capable of providing different amounts of light. Yous'll demand to consider what room you desire the low-cal in (I.due east., bathroom, kitchen, etc.) and measure how large it is per square meter. This will help you choose what size tube you'll need. For instance, a x-inch low-cal can typically light up around 150 foursquare meters. For industrial spaces, y'all'll demand a tube between xviii-21 inches.
Weather Weather
Solar tubes are normally UV-protected, and then you shouldn't have to worry about whatever sun damage to the inside of your house. However, if you live in an area with extreme conditions atmospheric condition such equally snowfall or strong winds, you lot'll need a more than robust product. Luckily, many solar tubes have been hurricane tested so they can withstand these conditions. Just ensure the dome of the tube is made out of polycarbonate.
Final Verdict
The best solar tube is undoubtedly the 13-inch Natural Low-cal energy systems and solar tubes. This is because it provides y'all with everything you lot demand to get great natural light. Too as this, it's incredibly durable, and therefore you'll never need to spend money on another. Information technology's also exceptionally well-priced for such a loftier-quality production. It provides a decent illumination capacity of 300 sq ft with a 500 watts equivalence. It is Free energy STAR qualified and comes with a 25-year warranty. This production is an ALL-IN-ONE package to serve a various range of customers.
Pinterest Board
Check out our updated Pinterest board with the best solar tubes:
FAQs
What's the average toll of a solar tube?
A solar tube tin range anywhere from around $200 up to $1000, with the average cost being $750. The price tends to vary on the length of the tube and how much low-cal it tin handle. You'll also find that a flexible tube is much cheaper than a rigid one.
Do I need to install it myself?
Admittedly not! In that location are many engineers out there who could easily install information technology for you lot. They may price more than, but yous'll be paying knowing your new solar tube is in skillful easily. If you accept any carpentry experience or a like field, y'all should be completely fine doing it yourself. Nearly are very easy to install and have good instructions.
Do they but work in the day?
Yes, the solar tubes are simply suitable in the twenty-four hour period for natural nighttime and won't be useful at night. They aren't an alternative to electricity and instead provide you with daylight for rooms with limited windows. For example, you may have a bath without a window that you don't desire to utilize a lightbulb for in the day. A solar tube will be the perfect solution for this.
What is the boilerplate useful life of a solar tube?
Solar tubes are extremely durable products and designed to concluding a lifetime. Well-nigh products come with a 20-25 years warranty. Therefore, if you buy i, you don't have to purchase another solar tube anytime soon.
Sign up now and then you can go notified for our latest giveaways, disbelieve promotions and guides
Author Bio
Robert is a renewable free energy and sustainability specialist with 10+ years of experience in the solar and renewable free energy space.
With experience in different organizations in the manufacture, he operates semprius as a passion projection promoting sustainable renewable energy ideas and products.
Besides Read
Source: https://www.semprius.com/solar-tube/
0 Response to "Best Rated Sun Tunnel Skylights for a Large Family Room"
Post a Comment