Homes Plus
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1384002
Dear Jim: As I have gotten older, I find I see better under natural light. Would installing a tubular skylight bring in much natural light without losing a lot of heat during winter? — Rich T. Dear Rich: A tubular skylight loses less heat than a traditional big skylight and is easier to install. It does penetrate the attic insulation envelop, but installing one can reduce your light costs. It is not uncom- mon for people to see better under natural light and natural light creates a nicer ambiance indoors than switching on lamps. Of the two basic skylight options, stan- dard rectangular or tubular, a tubular one is more energy efficient. Since it creates a smaller hole in the insulated ceiling, less heat is lost during winter or gained dur- ing summer. Weatherstripping on the top and bottom eliminate air leakage. The amount of light that comes in from a small tubular skylight is quite amazing. I installed a 10-inch diameter one in my garage. I can easily work on my car in there without any additional electric lights on. If there is a full moon at night, enough light comes through it so I can walk safely in there. To get a rough idea of how much light output there is from a tubular skylight, figure on the equivalent brightness of three 100-watt incandescent light bulbs from a 10-inch diameter tube. A 14-inch diameter one provides about twice as much light. A tubular skylight is pretty much like it sounds. It is a sheet metal tube which extends from a hole in the room ceiling up through the roof. The top is covered with a clear plastic dome and the bottom is cov- ered by a clear light diffuser. It looks simi- lar to a sealed recess light from indoors. The inside surface of the tube is highly reflective. The sunlight that enters the top dome reflects back and forth in the tube until it comes out the bottom diffuser. Since it is so highly reflective, very little brightness is lost. This allows it to catch light even when the sun is not directly overhead, but it is still wise to locate it in the sunniest spot. To catch even more of the indirect light from the sun during morning and evening, select a tubular skylight with a prismatic top dome. This dome bends the indirect light rays so they come more directly down the tube into the house. All of the clear acrylic domes filter out the ultraviolet fading rays. The light from the tubular skylight can become very bright, especially around noon. Optional internal remote-controlled dampers are available to reduce the light intensity. Also, an optional small light fix- ture can be mounted in the tube to pro- vide light, similar to a recessed one, at night. For a bathroom application, a vent fan option is also available. The following companies offer tubular skylight kits: ODL, 866-635-4968, www.odl.com; Solatube, 888-765-2882, www.solatube.com; Sun-Dome, 800-596- 8414, www.sun-dome.com; Tru-Lite, 520- 622-2152, www.tru-liteskylights.com; and Velux, 800-888-3589, www.veluxusa.com. Dear Jim: I am building a super-effi- cient smart house. I plan to install a direct-vent gas fireplace. It will be a unique tall design which is difficult to find. Is it difficult to build one myself ? — Candi K. Dear Candi: A direct-vent fireplace is most efficient because the firebox is sealed from the room air. The proper amount of combustion air is needed for various fire levels, so it may be difficult to set up the controls for a do-it-yourself one. A vent-free gas fireplace is also very effi- cient and simple to build because it is open. Since the fumes are not vented out- doors, its operating time is limited each day depending upon the size of the room. (Send inquiries to James Dulley, The Freeman, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincin- nati, OH 45244 or visit www.dulley.com.) HOME JUNE 2021 4 Bring the light indoors this summer See better with energy-efficient tubular skylights Photo courtesy of ODL This tubular skylight has a dimmer option which is powered by a solar cell panel on roof. It requires no special wiring for simple installation and efficiency. Photo courtesy of Solatube This is a tubular skylight being installed on a shingle roof. Notice how the shingles fit over the flashing to eliminate leaks. JAMES DULLEY