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A Solar-Tube Disperses Free Sunlight
Installing a solar-tube or sun-tunnels brings natural daylight to otherwise darkened spaces, and is an economical and fantastic way to make use of free sunlight, and reduce carbon footprints.
Solar tubes are known by other names as well. They can be referred to as tubular skylights, and as sun tunnels.
These tubes are generally used for rooms that have typically four walls with no windows, or are located right in the middle of a home, where there is no availability or use for a window.
Structural Concerns About Your Home?
These tubes are durable, and have bends and twists if necessary to go around obstructions.
The units are well designed and engineered against leaking.
This addresses structural changes to accommodate the installation of these solar tubes for those who are concerned about this.
Solar-Tube Installation
These units are inserted though a roof either directly to a ceiling of a room, and they can be installed in the same way with larger sections coming through the attic to your room ceiling if necessary.
A weatherized clear dome on the roof-top will collect the sunlight into a reflective tube that reflects the light downward to a diffuser capped and flush to your ceiling.
This form of tubular daylighting can be installed as one unit for a smaller room, or a number of them may be needed to light up a much larger space.
As you could see, the result is quite effective once everything is connected up, and just how a dark room can suddenly light up.
Apparently, the cost involved is a fraction of the cost of regular skylights, and can take about a half day to install by professionals.
Probably a good idea (though made to look pretty straight forward) to make sure whoever is putting this in for you, has some background knowledge and good carpentry skills.
People Can Be So Creative
I recently watched a video that showed someone putting this idea into effect to bring natural light into a chicken coop! They didn't use solar tubes, just the method in general and a large clear plastic pop bottle filled with water.
No, I don't think we would want to use that method for our home roof-tops, but pretty creative and inexpensive (I think this project cost the young man 5 dollars!) I would say for free light for a coop or a small shed.
Quite amazing and ingenious actually.
This could be a very viable option if you are thinking about lighting up a dark room, and don't want to get involved with wiring and all that goes with it.
There are night-lighting and dimming options available with solar tubes for those who want them, and prefer a more subtle glow to soften the effects of the light. Either way, the results are lovely.
