"Solatube" lighting..
 

Does anyone here have any experience / insight to installing one of these?

Solatube Brighten Up Series us great for every room you are considering for a skylight

Looks like an excellent way to cut down on my electric bill, so I would like to install a few.

Looks like a good idea for adding light and not loosing as much heat as long as it is sealed at the ceiling. I have no experience with them though.

A friend of mine (yes, I do have some) had one of those installed.
They have a narrow corridor type kitchen, and it lets in light so they don't need the normal lights on except at night,
and he was surprised at how little light outside it took to brighten up the room.
Even in the darker evening, it gathers the light and helps considerably.
I don't see these (yet) at the diy stores.
Only by dealers/installers.

Sandy- did you install them yourself? If so how easy / difficult? What type of sealant did you use inside and out?

My house has a "sunroom" added to the rear. approx. 20'X20'. Access to the room is through the back door which is in my dining room. Needless to say the dining room window looks out into this room, which hinders natural light from coming in. It is a dark room even during the brightest part of the day. I would like to put two in there and One in my hallway.
I've closed in the sunroom and made it into a fourth bedroom, with a back foyer area to access the backyard through the "new" rear door.

The more I think about this, the more I like it toyobug. I too have my living room that is blocked by my sunroom. We are actually repainting it in the near future just to brighten up the room. It is currently a fairly dark red color and we are going with a lighter blue/grey on two walls and cream color on the other two. Anyway, the solatube might be perfect for this room! The only problem I see is that I'd have a fairly long horizontal stretch to get into the room. The solatube could go out the west end of the room and up through the covered porches roof or south to the roof of the sunroom. I don't think this should be a problem though?

http://ecorenovator.org/wp-content/u.../floorplan.jpg

Judging the picture on the right side of the screen on this link:
Solatube Daylighting Systems for homeowner projects are the smart alternative solution to traditional skylights
It looks like the tube reflects the light. I wouldn't think that a horizontal run would matter much. How long of a horizontal stretch are you talking about? Do you have the ability to run it through some sort of attic or access above the ceiling over the sunroom and living room? I just looked at the pictures you posted in your intro, and it looks like you do have some space between the ceiling and roof over both the sunroom and covered porch. I would go for it.
I have a ranch style house, so my installation would be be straight forward. I'm hoping to hear something from Sandy, to get an idea what you or I will be up against.
I will be home from Iraq on vacation again in Dec. My "plan" is to install them then. I say "plan" because you never know what the wife may have "planned" LOL!

If you attempt it before I do, the only thing I would suggest is LOTS of pre-measuring!
LOL......

Found this info Daox:

Can a Solatube Daylighting System work for the first floor of a two-story house?--
"Yes, if there is a closet, existing chase, or place for the tubes to run through the house from the roof to the first floor.
A Solatube 290 DS is recommended due to the long distance from the roof. Usually a chase is built around the unit for added protection."

This sounds like the horizontal route isn't preferred. Look on the site under the FAQS. That's where I found the question above.

I haven't installed one (yet).
From what I've read so far,
they're only dealer installed.
One would guess, that they could be diy installed if you can get them,
or make one with a sky light, some shiny metal, and ingenuity.

FYI I looked up the local dealer for me. It looks like they do offer to sell you just the parts. Its not cheap though.

Brighter Concepts — Solatube Price List

I also emailed my step father (general handyman and DIYer) to see if he has heard of them. This is what he said:
"I have seen them. Gary and Brenda have one in their upstairs Bathroom. They do add light but nowhere near what a window does. A great option for a room without a window such as a bathroom. From what I've seen, are a bit of work to install. Especially since you need to cut open the roof and then are faced with flashing and sealing that opening."

Daox, I've seen them for as cheap as $250 for the 10"
I'll dig thru my favorites and find that site.
I'm not discouraged yet, I think I may still try at least one install to see for myself how well they work. Providing I find the correct site for the cheaper ones.

I see you are right. Just for kicks I checked out ebay. $100 for the 10" kit, no accessories. That is a heck of a lot cheaper. Other kits range from $200 to $250 for the 10" and $320 for the 14".

Original 10" Solatube Kit - eBay (item 220284958987 end time Sep-25-08 15:07:58 PDT)

found these at my favorite place..10" Velux Rigid Sun Tunnel
Cheaper than the last ones I found online (still can't find the site)

That one doens't seem to have the neato light trapper gizmo like the solalight does though.

I finally found the original site where I first learned of these. The price range is about what you said Daox.
Tubular Skylight - Home

I like the idea of putting a switch on one. I may look more into that.

Solar tubes are great.

They really add a lot of light and are MUCH easier to install that skylights.

They are available to the handy home-owner at Home Depot and other similar big box home improvement stores.

The best use for these are dark, internal areas of a house, such as the inside hallway on a ranch-style house, or bathrooms without windows.


Ideally, a house should be designed to use as much natural lighting as possible, but these are probably the BEST way to aftermarket in some natural daylight.

by chance has anyone ever installed something that required cutting a hole in the roof? Vents, plumbing, etc.....I never have and I've been thinking of the solatubes today. Kinda nervous about cutting a hole in a roof that's only 3 years old
(new thanks to hurricane Katrina)
Anybody know any roofers out there that can give some tips / advice.

Daox- I found some installation instructions here:
http://www.solatube.com/downloads/20...60DS_290DS.pdf
if you look at page 7 of 11, under "Spectralight Infinity 0-90 degree extension tube"
I'm thinking this may work for your application of a horizontal installation.
The instructions are detailed and pertain to many different roof types.

We have four seperate units installed in a house we own in Gilbert, AZ; they were already in place when we bought house. They add a significant amount of light to a room. We are planning on adding a couple to the house we live in now in Fountain Hills, AZ this Jan. after workload for wife who works from home decreases. Will have installed due to concerns about roof integrity.

I added two of the homedepot solar tubes when I was reroofing the house two years ago. I believe it's a 12" in the kitchen and a 10" in the bathroom. The bathroom doesn't have a window and when it's sunny there is absolutely no need to turn on the lights. The kitchen absolutely glows from the 12". Installing them was a pain because my attic space is tiny to try and work in. Other then that though they are great. If/When I move I'll be adding them again. I'll also try to time it with a roof job since that should save a bunch of time

Got any pictures of the install Strider? I'd love to see a DIY setup instead of the fancy online pics.

not a lot of detailed shots during the install but here is the album where I did the roof. From a roof point of view they install pretty much the same as all of the other vents. cut the hole, tarpaper, shingle up to the hole, drop in tube flashing piece, finish shingling. Then you drop the metal tube into the flashing piece, add the dome and you're done on the roof.

Inside cut the hole attach the plastic piece that holds everything to the roof. put the tube in and then climb into the attic to make the connection.

Relatively simple but a bit nit picky at times. the tube itself isn't the strongest piece of metal so you can't really force it to fit even though being able to reef on it would be nice at times. Also it comes with a protective plastic film inside that you have to remove but because the film was applied before the tube was shaped the film is pinched into the joints making it all but impossible to get completely out.

Here is an album of the roof being done, It doesn't have a lot of detail about the tubes because I was on the roof doing the work. Not a lot to see anyways.
Picasa Web Albums - Jamie - new roof
In this album you can see the inside part of the bathroom reno
Picasa Web Albums - Jamie - bathroom reno
In some of the pictures you'll see what looks like light reflecting off of water on the walls and washing machine. that is what the light looks like when you don't have the diffuser/cover on. here is a good example of that. http://picasaweb.google.ca/strider37...94293229834034

When that is installed it spreads the light in a really nice glow. It's great. Right now there is no sun on the house and in the bathroom without an windows and with the door closed is still easy to see well enough to do your business. If shaving or the wife was applying make up I'd turn on the lights but everything else is fine.

I don't have any pictures of the kitchen tube. It basically looks the same but larger. I centered it in the room and when the sun is hitting the roof my wife jokes that it looks like the transporter in startrek. It absolutely glows and you can't look directly at it without it's diffuser on. Way too bright.

Sorry, do you have any pictures of it installed is what I meant? I'd like to see how much light they bring into a room.

Looks like you've done a lot of work lately though!

It doesn't look like I have any pictures of the two finished and working. I'd take some new ones but this time of year my house is permanently shaded. remind me sometime in march when the sun comes back and I'll make sure to snap some. In the meantime they just provide a bit of low level light. You could read by them but it probably isn't good for your eyes.

Any pics of the Finished Solar Tubes?
 

Strider3700, you asked that Doax remind you in March to take pics.
Did you get the pics taken?

I was thinking of installing a Solar Tube and was wondering how bright they were.

Sorry I didn't as I moved. However if the weather works out on the easter long weekend I'll be reroofing the new home and a small 10 or 12" solatube will be installed to brighten up the hallway. I'll take some before pictures tomorrow which is supposed to be nice and sunny.

After having installed them at the old house and seeing how the hallway was kind of dark without having the light on it was and easy decision to install them again.

I'd like to see the light tubes output on a sunny day, too. They are on my to-do list for lighting the room over the detached garage I am building.

ok it's been a long long time coming but we had another baby this summer that delayed a bunch of projects. We did do the roof and outside part of the install back in the spring. No install pictures of that. It basically just installs like a roof vent then you drop the upper part of the tube in place and then sit the dome on top holding it in place with some screws. I then ignored it for 6 months.

inside is more interesting. I did the install last week on a cloudy day. the tube is a 10" from home depot the kit comes with the dome, adjustable 26" upper tube, adjustable 26" lower tube and the diffuser.

All pics are taken with no flash from the same spot.
Here is the hallway before
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_w1_9lMbNbxo/TK...0/IMG_4057.JPG

to the left is directly south. we normally keep the doors on the right open because the bedrooms have windows and let some light into the hallway. This is hard to due when the kids are napping...

here is after the hole in the roof is cut but the tube not in place yet. The light coming through is splash from the upper tube in the attic.

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_w1_9lMbNbxo/TK...0/IMG_4058.JPG

And finished same day
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_w1_9lMbNbxo/TK.../s800/IMG_4064

and a couple of days later when it's sunny out - the sun didn't make a difference before. it was always the same cloudy or sunny.
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_w1_9lMbNbxo/TK...Wik/s800/IMG_4


Any questions or details wanted let me know.

Wow, thats looks really nice! I wonder if these things have similar problems like skylights do with leaking and condensation. I'd imagine they'd be better since you don't have heat that close to cold like you would with a traditional skylight. Thanks for the pictures!

leaks should be basically impossible. at the roof it a big 1 piece plastic flashing that sits about 5" above the roofing at it's lowest point. The dome sits on that with an overhang of about an inch. A gasket on the dome fits between the two helping stop air movement. If you installed the roof around it correctly it won't leak any worse then the chances of a vent leaking which is basically zero.

On the bottom there is also a gasket to help with condensation and air movement. You also tape every joint to keep bugs out so that should help. We noticed a bit of condensation in the tube of the bathroom at the old house but it went away each day and came back each night only in winter. Nothing you'd notice unless looking for it though. During the summer it was never seen and I was looking.

I like it. Really could brighten up a dark area of the house.