12/21/2023 0 Comments Solar tube for metal roof![]() ![]() Installing skylights is a more laborious task, requiring proper care be made to ensure roof structure integrity, while a large window is embedded into your roofing membrane. ![]() Solar tube installation is relatively fast and simple.īecause they have a small footprint, solar tubes can be easily plopped into your roof, between rafters. Instead of installing expensive header beams, new drywall, and skylights, you can pipe sunlight through a solar tube and get a similar lighting effect at a fraction of the cost. Solar tubes are especially practical if your home has a lot of attic space. However, solar tubes do have a mix of strong advantages and drawbacks when compared with skylights. Yes, solar tubes are a very effective lighting solution for dark interior spaces like laundry rooms. Do solar tubes really work? How do they compare to skylights? Most solar tube kits are designed for asphalt shingle roofing material, though adapters are readily available which make installation on wood, metal, or tile roof types straightforward. You’ll need a roof pitch angle between 3 x 12 inches and 20 x 12 inches (roughly 14° to 60°), as almost all the models aren’t engineered for flat roofs or extreme slopes. If you attempt a solar tube install yourself, you may void it. Be sure to check if you have a current roofing warranty from your roofing installer. If you have skills, confidence, and time, you can purchase a DIY solar tube kit for about $300 and install them yourself. Skylights average $1500 to $2500, depending on size and installation complexity. On average, professionally installed solar tubes cost about $750 apiece. Solar tubes can be installed for much less than skylights. How much do solar tubes cost compared to traditional skylights? This ensures the sunlight entering your home won’t cause adverse health effects or damage paintings or surfaces. Most sun tubes come with a UV ray protection system, either at the source of sunlight on your roof, or in the light diffuser at the end of the tube. If sleeker aesthetics are important to you, they are worthy of your careful consideration. Their solar tube models look like small skylights embedded into the face of your roof instead of bulky domes. Velux is the leading manufacturer of solar tubes. Most models offer a low-profile, flexible tubing which alleviates the hassle of cutting and fitting sheet metal, as you’d need to with rigid solar tube models. The tube skylight piping length can be extended indefinitely, and is lined with a super-reflective “continuous mirror” coating to amplify the direct sunlight as it pours through to its target. They are usually protected with a clear, weather-resistant acrylic dome. Solar tube heads are optically engineered to direct as much light as possible into the tunnel below and come in a variety of sizes which range from about 1 to 2 feet in diameter. They are a good choice for integrating daylight into small, dark spaces in your home such as hallways, laundry areas, closets, and bathrooms. Compared to skylights, solar tubes minimize heat gains and heat losses. As a homeowner, that alleviates worry about the structural integrity of your roof. Image source: Bob Vilaīecause they are relatively small, solar tubes can be easily placed between roof rafters. On the right, the same space with natural sunlight pouring in through a solar tube fixture. On the left: a dark bathroom space before a solar tube installation. While they don’t allow for a nice view of the outside world, they do provide a natural, cost effective way to naturally illuminate dark interior spaces without using electricity. Solar tubes, also known as “sun tunnels”, “light tubes”, and “daylight pipes”, channel outside daylight into your home. ![]()
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