December 1999 | Sensible Home
Skylight Tube Kits
by James Dulley
Dear Jim: Several rooms, especially my kitchen, always need the lights on. I prefer natural daylight, but I cannot afford a skylight. What do you think of the less expensive skylight tube kits? Do they work? — Ann T.
Dear Ann: As an engineer, I evaluated performance claims by the many skylight tube manufacturers. After doing all the technical calculations, I installed a medium-size kit in my own home as the ultimate test.
In a word — WOW! The amount of light from the skylight tube kit was truly impressive. It has been in for two months now and every time I leave that room, I still reach out to switch off the light that is never on.
Everything does look better under natural light. In the kitchen, foods look more appetizing under daylight as compared to bulbs. Since natural light is full-spectrum light, some claim it minimizes winter "blues." And it’s attractive in itself. From indoors, a kit looks just like an ordinary round ceiling light fixture.
A bathroom or dressing area is another excellent location for a skylight tube kit. Some models now have optional ceiling vent kits, which light and vent the bathroom with one unit. The small fan is mounted up in the vent tube section, well above the bathroom ceiling, so it operates very quietly.
If you surf the Internet or read home magazines, it seems like everyone is selling skylight tube kits. Don’t just buy the cheapest one because there are major differences in quality. The kits are shipped with various levels of preassembly for easy installation and some have lifetime warranties.
A skylight tube is simply a tube (a rigid smooth or a flexible corrugated material, ten to twenty-one inches in diameter) with a super-reflective lining. It runs from your ceiling up through the roof. A light diffuser on the ceiling and clear dome on the end sticks up through the roof.
The major advantages of a skylight tube over a standard flat skylight are its low cost, simple do-it-yourself installation, and its energy efficiency. Since it is relatively small in diameter and the entire tube forms a sealed dead-air space, there is very little energy loss as compared to a skylight.
The quality of the reflective tube is the key to a bright, efficient skylight tube. Two of the best rigid aluminum tube materials to check for are Alcoa Everbrite 95 and 3M Silverlux. If your attic has many obstructions, the corrugated reflective tube material simplifies installation.
Electric light kits that mount up inside the tube provide light at night for rooms that do not already have a ceiling fixture. If you like bright light in the early morning or evening, consider a kit with a prismatic top dome. Optional snap-in "mood" ceiling diffusers vary the lighting appearance.
Write for (or instantly download) Update Bulletin No. 542 — buyer’s guide of the best skylight tube kits, materials, warranties, sizes, features and prices. Please include $3.00 and a business-size SASE. James Dulley, Conscious Choice, 6906 Royalgreen Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45244
© 1999-2003, James Dulley. Visit dulley.com for more.
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