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View Full Version : Solatube (or similar) solar tube lights??



Brent Leonard
03-29-2009, 2:16 PM
Anyone install one of these themselves?

I want to install up to four of these things in our kitchen. I've seen them installed on other peoples homes and I think they are great.

I have one concern, I have never done any roofing. I built houses in college for 7 years so carpentry is not an issue for me, I just never have liked messing with shingles and such as I'm afraid of the impossible to fix leaks that haunt my dreams.

Is the flashing and such on the skylight dome foolproof? Any special things to worry about? I have a peel and stick, Timberline shingle roof (just put on last year). Cutting a 12" hole in my roof with a sawzall is going to take some courage for me!!

Thanks

Chris Kennedy
03-29-2009, 2:22 PM
Brent,

I haven't done this, but I am considering the same. My FIL has installed a bunch (four or five) and he has said it isn't hard at all. Probably the most difficult step is getting to courage to plunge the sawzall into your roof.

On the other hand, my neighbors had two installed for $500 (I don't know if that was everything or just the install). I may go that route -- stimulate the economy and let someone else worry about my roof.

Cheers,

Chris

Steve Jenkins
03-29-2009, 3:12 PM
I have done two of them myself and it was no problem. Make sere that you take a measurement from the ceiling to your roof because you may well need to order some extension tubes. I used the "Solartube" and they came with a jig for drawing the circle for the ceiling and roof holes. Before laying out the ceiling hole mark where you want the center and poke a hole in the ceiling then use a straightened out coathanger or somesuch and stick up through it so you can go into the attic and see where you are relative to the ceiling joists. It took me abut 3 hours start to finish.

David G Baker
03-29-2009, 4:04 PM
I shop an an Amish store frequently. They use the solar tubes as well as 36 inch by 48 inch boxes that amplify Sun light. It works very well to light up their store shelves except during very dark and gloomy days.
I have never installed the solar tubes but I have installed the air powered attic vents and didn't find them to be a big problem. The instructions that came with the vents were very easy to follow and I assume that the solar tubes come with good instructions. I would make sure prior to purchasing. Do some serious shopping for the tubes because the prices vary by quite a bit from retailer to retailer.

Ken Garlock
03-29-2009, 6:27 PM
Hi Brent.

When we built in 2002 I had Sun Pipe (http://www.sunpipe.com/index.htm) solar light installed in our window-less bath. The Actual sun pipe is 16 ft. long and it is bright and bright. I highly recommend this product for anyone wanting to install a "Sun Light."

Oh yes, they come in lengths up to 40 ft. and diameters up to 21 inches.