Solar tubes are about to use for residential or commercial construction. If we consider the Pros of Solar tubes, they get natural light very similar to a skylight.
However, they generally provide more light per square foot of opening than a skylight. Since they are typically smaller, the roof’s space is smaller, reducing the probability of leaks at the roof by funnelling light to somewhere instead of a skylight.
And the Cons of Solar tubes don’t have the emotional impact of a skylight. It doesn’t look like natural light.
This could have been replicated with a recessed light at less cost and no roof opening. The round tube is brutal to frame around, as opposed to a square/rectangular skylight.
Let’s have a read on Solar Tubes Pros and Cons at a glance.
Super Solar Tube: Solar Tubes Pros and Cons at a Glance
Sometimes you want to allow more natural light in your home but find skylights too big, expensive, or hard to maintain; solar tubes are a simple alternative.
Also known as sun tunnels or tubular skylights, solar tubes give you a discreet way to brighten the different areas of your home with soft, natural light.
The standard solar tube is a polished sheet metal tube installed in the roof to channel sunlight into the house’s interior. They’re most commonly found in 10- and 14-inch-diameter sizes that fit between standard 16-inch roof joists.
On the roof end of the tube, there is a weather-resistant acrylic cap. To help distribute the light evenly on the ceiling side is around and window-like opening with a diffuser.
What is a Solar tube?
Solar tubes are not replacements for electric lighting; instead, they are usually used as an alternative to a natural skylight. They are a lower-cost product that can be an easy-to-install and reliable alternative to skylights while you won’t get the view of the sky like you would come with a skylight.
Solar Tubes Pros and Cons at a Glance
Solar tube- Effective, Understated, and Affordable. Let’s see the Solar Tubes Pros and Cons at a Glance.
Pros of Solar tube
Using solar tubes, you can light your home for free without the expense of skylight installation or the need to alter your rooms’ look.
Free lighting – On a mainly sunny day, one 10-inch solar tube gives you around a similar amount of light as three 100-watt bulbs.
That’s a lot for illuminating a 200 sq. ft. room well enough for office work or lighting a 300 sq. ft. sufficient room for less visual activities such as taking a shower or folding the laundry.
You don’t need to use an electric light on sunny or even moderately cloudy days with this much light. You’ll enjoy extra convenience while saving money. Choose a solar tube model which includes an electric light if you need light at night, too.
Design flexibility – Skylights are hard to miss when you walk into a room, given their size. On the other hand, solar tubes are subtle design elements that add light without calling attention.
Solar tubes let you do when you want to bring more light into your living room or bedroom without altering the room’s architecture; they also fit into smaller spaces than traditional skylights. It is a practical way to brighten up a small, dim hallway or pantry.
Lower risk of leaks – Traditional skylights is well known for their tendency to leak. A significant reason for this is how they collect debris, such as leaves, which prevents rainfall and snowmelt from draining off the roof.
The built-up water then finds its way under the roofing material than to your ceiling. Solar tubes are likely lesser leak because their small & flat dome allows water to drain around them.
Budget-friendly installation – Solar tubes may look like a luxury feature, but they don’t require a significant investment. The tubes themselves have cost less than skylights, and they’re also lesser expensive to have installed because they don’t need any changes to the drywall or framing.
You’ll get better results if you hire a professional, whereas the installation requires fitting the tube around wiring, pipes, or air ducts in more complicated cases.
Cons of Solar tube
Solar tube- Limited Design Impact & Less Control
Solar tubes give fewer options for controlling the light entering the room, and their smaller size means they do little to enhance the home’s architecture.
Fewer options for control – Skylights give more control over the quality of light to let in. Skylight shades work like window shades, while the variety of skylight diffusers on the market provides plenty of options for distributing the light to the room.
You can also add a film to reduce UV light that can fade rugs and furniture. Vented skylights even let get some fresh air with sunlight by opening the skylight that would allow an awning window.
With solar tubes, shades and venting aren’t options. In that case, you can use diffusers and window film, you’ll have a fewer selection than what’s available for skylights.
Slight design improvement – Skylights are generally an architectural design feature, making the room appear larger and airier and giving an ever-changing view of the passing clouds.
That added both an ambiance of luxury and a feeling of connection to nature. However, most solar tubes are seemed too small to affect the room’s appearance beyond letting the light in, and they don’t allow us to see much of anything from the outdoors.
It is not equally suited to all kinds of homes – The type of roof we have would make it impractical to install solar tubes. Generally, most solar tubes are designed for roofs with a slope in-between 15 and 60 degrees.
If you have a flat room, you have to look for tubular skylight models specifically designed for the roof. The installation may not be possible on a steeply pitched roof, such as an A-frame. Most DIY solar tube kits are explicitly designed for roofs with asphalt or wood shingles. You’ll need an adapter if you have tiles or a metal roof.
Concluding Thoughts
In the condition of high-humidity climates, condensation on the inside of the tube is a common problem. You can minimize this cost by wrapping the tube in R-15 batt insulation before installing it. Here in this read of Solar Tubes Pros and Cons at a glance.
If your home could possibly use a bit more daylight, particularly for the smaller spaces, but you don’t either want to spend a lot of change your rooms’ overall look, solar tubes are a practical solution. Then look the other side, if you’re going to impact a room’s appearance significantly and you’re willing to pay for it, then you might want to stick with installing traditional skylights.
Few Facts on Solar Tube
Which is better solar tube or skylight?
The solar tube is more effective regarding energy efficiency, capturing light and diffusing it into the home. Although skylights gather three times the light of regular windows, energy is lost through heat gain, particularly in warmer months and climates.
Do solar tubes work at night?
Can a Solatube Daylighting System store light for use at night? No, the Solatube® Daylighting System only transfers the available sunlight that enters through the dome during the day.
What is the best solar tube?
Best Solar Tube Reviewed:
· 1- VELUX Sun Tunnel.
· 2- Natural Light Energy Systems.
· 3- Velux TLR Sun Tunnel.
· 4- Natural Light Energy Systems.
· 5- ODL Tubular Skylight.
· 6- Kennedy Skylights Flex Tubular Skylight.
· 7- Velux TGR 014 0000 Sun Tunnel.
· 8- Kennedy Skylights Rigid Tubular Skylight.
Are solar tubes energy efficient?
The Solatube system gives as much light as much larger conventional skylights by its advanced optics. There are too many benefits to Solatube skylights! They are consistent and energy–efficient, letting in more light than traditional skylights without the shifting pattern.
How does a solar tube work?
A solar tube is a reflective material that is a cylindrical piece. This mirror-like material captures sunlight and bounces it on the interior surfaces of the tube. As the light travels over multiple characters, it reaches the interior of your home, where the light will emit through an acrylic dome in the ceiling.
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