Replies

1. 
   DonCanDo | Apr 05, 2006 02:17pm | #1

   I have a Solatube on my house and it has been leak-free for over 5 years.  It provides a lot of light for a small "footprint".  I would recommend them for my area.

   As to the conditions that you mentioned... I don't even think my roof would hold up, never mind the Solatube.

   -Don

1. 
   DonK | Apr 05, 2006 03:36pm | #2

   Clint -

   I did a roof for someone last year and he asked us to throw in a couple of Sola tubes - or it may have been the Home Depot version.

   The materials were close to foolproof, flashing wise similar to a vent. The cap portion which let the light in was clear plastic, held on by 4 small screws, that seemed about the weakest link. I would use one in my own home.

   Don K.

   EJG homes     Renovations - New Construction - Rentals

2. 
   skip555 | Apr 05, 2006 03:50pm | #3

   ive been looking at them Im in south fl and they are availible hurricane rated .

   heres one Ive been looking at on ebay that they say is hurricane proof

   http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7601461621&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

3. 
   hasbeen | Apr 05, 2006 07:26pm | #4

   I have two solatubes on my home. They've been in for two years with no problems. I don't know about other brands.

   My weather is A LOT dryer than yours, but we do get some serious winds. We get winds of 80 mph every so often and I'm sure some gusts are substantially more.

   ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
   "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." Voltaire
1. 
   rearmount | Apr 05, 2006 11:50pm | #5

   Hello Clint. I work part time for a Solatube dealer on Long Island N.Y. I have installed several thousand over the last 5+ years. If they are put in right, they rarely leak. I say rarely because sometimes things happen. Most of the "leaks" come from ridge vent, or some other leak above the Solatube. What we do here on LI is glue( polyurethane, it comes in the kit ) on the bottom of flashing, and between flashing and shingles. I have 4 of thier products in my house, my boss has 14. Call backs are exremely rare. I know also it is hurricane rated in Fla. Our weather here is not even close to yours, but a few times a year we get 50mph  winds along with inches of rain. Go for it . You wont be dissapointed. Joe.

1. 
   hasbeen | Apr 06, 2006 04:30am | #6

   Joe, you sent that to me, not the person who started the thread.Joe (my name, too)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
   "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." Voltaire

1. 
   user-133828 | Apr 06, 2006 07:50am | #7

   Thanks a bunch guys,

   I hope this makes it to the right thread.  I'm new to this.  I even had a hard time finding the thread to read the answers.  I had to do a search.

   Collar flashing doesn't work well here.  One thing I noticed in common with the two brands you recommended is that they don't use collar flashing.  I think you guys are right on track there.  These are two of the three brands that I thought might work.  My major concern was whether or not the dome would stay on.  The hurricane tests on the manufacturer's web pages talk about impact from objects.  We don't have any trees around here, so if something hits my house, it is likely to be another house.  Most people don't leave things lying around in their yards or they won't have it for long.  Are the domes on these units built where I can add additional screws if need be?

   Around here we tar down every tab on a shingle roof.  On one house I did I had a couple of high school kids (new to construction) tar down the tabs.  Within the first year I had lost 7 tabs from the three-tab shingle roof.  None of those tabs were tared down.

   Clint

4. 
   jross | Apr 11, 2006 11:10pm | #8

   Clint,

   I just worked on an article about tubular skylights that will be published in FHB issue 180.  As part of the article, got some products in the door and looked them over carefully.  I then installed one in a fellow editor’s roof.  From what I could tell, leakage wasn’t a big issue.  I would make sure that the model you buy adheres to the local building code requirements.

1. 
   user-133828 | Apr 17, 2006 07:59am | #9

   Thanks, I will check it out.

   Clint