Hey guys,
I’m just wondering if anybody here has had any experience with solatubes (the new fangled skylight units–if you’ve never heard of them, give it a google).
Mainly wondering: do they leak? do they actually work? what do they cost? pretty much whatever anybody knows?
Thanks in advance.
Justin Fink
FHB Editorial
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Replies
I'm not sure how well they work in regards to leaking and flashing, but i've seen them and they work pretty good. I used a residential bathroom with one, and I didn't have to use the lights it was so bright. Seems to me that the 10" model will light up 100 sq. feet of floor space. And you can get a kit to turn it into a light fixture too. They seem like a great skyligt option for a flat ceiling, or a closet or bathroom without a window.
In other threads, Mike Smith has mentioned putting many of those in. You might try to corner him and ask about them.
You might try the "Search" thingee if you can get it to work...........
http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&msg=21437.1
Got half a dozen hits for this, you can bet there are more hidden somewhere in Pisspooro.
Joe H
justin .. are you looking for Solatubes (tm) ...
or the generic "tubular skylights"
we sold and installed "SunTunnel" from '97 until they were bought out by Velux two years ago
SunTunnel comes in 14" & 22" models..
yes, they do NOT leak, lot's of satisfied customers... have one of the original 20" models in our office.. if all you need is daylight.. ( or the nightlight kit ).. then tubular skylights are just what the doctor ordered... and Suntunnel are the ones we chose to sell after looking at all of them...
the biggest sellers in our area were the "Solatube"...but Velux could have bought any of them.. so the fact that they bought SunTunnel should tell you something
Yes, I've installed them, and they work great. No, they don't leak, unless installed improperly (they install just like a an attic turbine vent, but with attendant duct work in the attic). Its basically just a duct with a clear dome on top, light-reflective coating inside, and a diffuser panel at the ceiling. Once installed, they look just like a light that's on.
Yeah, like a light that is on ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME (during daylight). I haven't seen one that can have a shade or blind like a good skylight. So keep in mind, there ain't no off switch.
This is true. And I mean it really looks like a ceiling light. Everyone keeps looking for the off-switch, because they hate to leave a room with the light on during the daytime, so you actually have to keep explaining the darn thing!
That sounds like an argument for having a clear window at the bottom, so people could look up the tube and see that it's a skylight.
naw, no one looks up (except maybe us construction types). They just keep looking at the wall for a switch.
I was thinking more in terms of "don't put it in a room where you might want darkness during daylight" like a TV room, or maybe even a bedroom (if someone works nights and sleeps days), but the switch conundrum is pretty amusing too.
do they leak? do they actually work? what do they cost? pretty much whatever anybody knows?
Must work pretty good, we have a contractor who sells nothing but (his van has the add plastered on both sides & the back). Seems like the big boxes list for $350-400 for either a 10" or 12" (I am not recalling correctly). The local contractor is getting $400-500 each, IIRC (and has a deal on multiples).
The word of mouth I hear is that they install very nicely, and if the detailed right, don't leak. There's nice upscale pad I did some work in that has a set of them, and it is very nice daylight--almost too much with a southern exposure.
I'm not in snow country, either.
This foir a potential article? Will likely get a lot of feed back, if so. I've got a half bath that would be an ideal canidate--but have not "pulled the trigger" due to a lack of any 'real' info on preformance.
I may have to ring up the local contractor and bend his ear the least little bit on dome other issues--like moving registers or ceiling lights that are in the way of the ideal location.
I installed two in my home probably 10 years or so ago. Never had a problem with them. I'm a DIY'er and liked the concept of natural light without heat gain down here in Texas.
I used the original Sola-tube model with a 3-tab shingle roof.
Regards,
Mark
Wondering if any of these installs were in cold climates. I was planning on installing solatubes in my place and talked to a carpenter friend who installed two with the tube insulated in the attic but he is stiill having condensation problems at the roof termination with moisture running down to the globe. He recently dried the interior of the tube and sealed the ceiling to globe area but still has condensation problems. Thinks maybe heating and cooling cycles are sucking moist interior air into the tube?
suntunnel sells a "double gasketed diffuser" to cut down on the heat loss
i spec it on most of our installs here in RI (6000 degree days )Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
Mike & all,
Thanks for all the information...I didn't mean to narrow my focus to the brand name solatube, but rather the idea itself - you've answered all of my questions and then some that I didn't even think about.
Thanks for all the quick legwork on this one guys - this topic is going into this years K&B for the breaktime section--and I think I've got enough fodder to pull out a good thread summary.
Keep up the good work!Justin Fink
FHB Editorial
I installed one of these about four years ago in a windowless bathroom--I'm a diy'er but handy.
My experience has been the same as the others here--no leaks--and people always looking for the light switch.
I love the ample natural light that we get in the room--it's about 100sq/ft.
A really good product IMO.
cje
if i remember right, i saw the solartubes for about $150 for the 10" models.
we're in the northern wisconsin snow belt - and they seem to work good here.