A tubular skylight allows beautiful, diffused natural light to be delivered into your home through stylish fixtures for maximum visual comfort and aesthetics, with options for brightening, dimming, ventilation and even intelligent nighttime lighting.

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A common question we get asked is how much light a tubular skylight, or Solatube, brings in. At the Guild Collective we offer two different Solatube Daylight Systems for different sizes and areas. Let’s review, and you choose the configuration that’s right for you.

The Solatube 160 ISn Daylighting System is our most versatile product and one that’s perfect for any room. It is ideal for spaces under 150 square feet, commonly for powder rooms and interior hallways. It offers a built-in, solar-powered night light that emits a soft glow in the evenings. The tube is 10 inches wide and up to 20+ feet long. It can be outfitted with ventilation for controlling humidity, dimming for adjusting daylight levels, and other options for a customized lighting solution that meets your needs. Best of all, it qualifies for 26% federal tax credit on purchase and installation.

The Solatube 160 ISn can be paired with several decorative fixtures. The JustFrost is a clean, contemporary design that is available in round or square. The OptiView is more unique, with dazzling skyviews and also available in round or square. The TierDrop is a beautiful cascading design, while the Classic Vusion is a classically simple design.

The Solatube 290 ISn Daylighting System can boost the brightness in bigger spaces. It is ideal for spaces that are 350+ square feet. Featuring a larger tube at 14 inches wide and up to 30+ feet long, it brings more light indoors for the brightest experience possible. If you want less light, an optional solar daylight dimmer allows you to adjust daylight levels in just seconds. At night, the built-in solar-powered night light emits just enough light to help you navigate in the dark. This system and installation also qualify for a 26% federal tax credit, making it more affordable than ever to bring natural light into your home.

The Solatube 290 ISn can be paired with the same decorative fixtures as the 160 ISn, the JustFrost, OptiView, TierDrop, and Classic Vusion, as well as two others. The AuroraGlo is available in white or bronze, and the VividShade accents daylight with contemporary fabric.

Often customers like to compare tubular skylights to traditional skylights. A traditional 2×4 skylight with a 6-foot light channel brings in the same amount of light as a 14-inch tubular skylight. However, the cost of a traditional skylight is much higher and starts at $2,500. The skylight would be installed by a trained, professional installer who would complete all of the roof and sheetrock work, as well as the painting.  The cost of a tubular skylight, on the other hand, is much cheaper and can start at $800. This installation does not require any alterations to the frame of your roof or sheetrock work and painting. Most often you’re going to install a traditional skylight when you’re looking for a statement piece for a room to really draw in natural light and brighten a space. Or, you may not have a window in a certain room and would like to see outside or open the skylight for ventilation. Being able to see the sky, whether it’s the bright sunshine or a star-filled night, makes a huge difference in a space and the ambiance, and natural light makes rooms more inviting and enjoyable.

Tubular Skylights: Shining a Sustainable Light on Your Home

You may be wondering where is the best place to install a tubular skylight in your home. Here are our top suggestions:

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1. The kitchen

In our experience, one of the most popular rooms is the kitchen. Most homeowners pick out granite or stone countertops when they are outside in daylight. Once the surfaces are installed and viewed in the home under fluorescent lighting, they just don’t look the same as when they were selected. This dilemma can easily be resolved with a tubular skylight, which allows for one hundred percent color rendition, meaning you can see the true color of objects without any color shift. 

2. A living room

Another area to consider is the living room because it’s a space where you typically spend the majority of your time. Natural light makes these spaces more inviting and desirable to be in and enjoy.

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3. Any rooms or spaces that do not have a window

When people add on to their home, it sometimes causes an existing room to lose exterior windows. A few other spaces that often do not have windows and are great candidates for a tubular skylight are an interior hallway, powder bathroom, laundry room, closet, or entryway from a garage.

So, how does a tubular skylight work? It all starts with a dome, which can be mounted with a leak-proof flashing on any rooftop, from shingle to tile and everything in between. The dome then catches daylight and channels it down through Spectralight® Infinity Tubing. This reflective tubing is much more efficient than a traditional drywall skylight shaft, which can lose over half of the potential light. It’s made of the world’s most reflective material that maintains brightness around corners and when light levels are low, such as in the early morning or late afternoon, on overcast days, or during winter months. It evenly illuminates dark areas of your home through a diffuser at the ceiling level that resembles a recessed light fixture. A full line of decorative fixtures is available, both round and square, that delivers beautiful, diffused light for maximum visual comfort and aesthetics. Accessories and add-ons provide options for brightening, dimming, ventilation and even integrated, solar-powered intelligent nighttime lighting to completely control your daylighting environment.

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You may be wondering if a tubular skylight will draw heat into your indoor space. While the Spectralight® Infinity Tubing transmits the visible spectrum of light, it redirects the infrared wavelengths up and out, which is the main culprit in solar heat gain. These tubes are designed to have the heat transfer up and out, without being able to feel any heat gain at the fixture. Similar to a double pane window, tubing is sealed at the top and bottom, causing the heat to exit upward.

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There are several benefits of a tubular skylight. 

1. It brings natural light into interior spaces of the home without structural modifications because it will fit between rafters and install quickly and easily, making it an affordable option. You will enjoy boosted moods and lower energy costs.

2. There’s one hundred percent color rendition, meaning you can see the true color of objects without any color shift. For example, if you’re trying to match black and navy socks, you will be able to see a distinction between the two colors. 

3. There’s no sun damage or color deterioration of clothing, furniture, or any fabrics beneath a tubular skylight because it blocks UV rays at the dome. 

Cost of a Traditional Skylight Versus a Tubular Skylight

Are you hoping to convert dark spaces into places you love? At The Guild Collective we offer long-term solutions with our quality products and installation services. 

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If you have any questions about cooling off a space, protecting your home, and controlling your utility bills, please set up your free in-home consultation today.

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You can explain to one of our certified installers how you use particular spaces, what areas are dark, and any additional pain points you’re experiencing due to the lack of natural light, and they will help you determine how many units you may need and what size best suits your home.