tubular, dome and other modern skylights

There is a wide offer of modern non-rectangular skylights, involving a large variety of shapes: pyramidal, dome, circular, oval, diamond, multi-sided, tubular… This last type – also referred as sun-tubes and light tubes - is the most interesting one.

Modern Tubular Skylight Image credit: Energy Star.

Advantages of tubular skylights

Sun-tunnel tubular skylights design reduces the daytime overheating and nighttime heat loss. And they are typically cheaper and easier to install.

Tubular Skylights Disadvantages

Tubular skylights cannot provide views and ventilation. Like traditional skylights, tubular skylights aren’t very effective in providing illumination to rooms that aren't directly under the roof or attic. Tubular skylights can only light effectively the top floor of multi-story houses.

Whenever the installation requires a long tube, the effectiveness of the skylight may decrease significantly.

For higher performances, tubular skylights shouldn’t be mounted on shaded areas or non-sunny slopes of the roof.

Technology

Tubular skylights - also called solar tubes and light tubes - involve a roof-mounted acrylic lens set inserted in a metal frame. The sunlight is then guided to a diffuser lens (resembling conventional lighting fixtures...) mounted on the interior of the ceiling, which spreads light throughout the room.

Tubular skylights may use plastic glazing, but the best ones use glass, and they are smaller than most other skylights without losing efficiency. Because they have a small surface area, they minimize heat losses (in winter) and heat gains (in summer).

Some tubular skylights have integrated baffles to auto-adjust the amount of sunlight, while others have electrical lights to provide artificial light.

Tubular skylights are energy-efficient devices, but their performance vary widely between brands (besides varying during the year, according to solar conditions).

Tubular Skylights: Prices

Tubular skylights are cheap devices. Some of them cost less or much less than conventional skylights. Prices of $150 for more basic models are common, but sophisticated and larger units will involve prices of $600 or more.

Tubular skylights installation

See: Sun Tunnel Tubular Skylight Installation

Tubular Skylights Warranties

Lifetime warranties are common. Demand at least a 10 year warranty.

Pros and cons of tubular skylights

Tubular skylights are usually cheaper and easier to install than traditional ones. But tubular skylights have a huge limitation, if you also want ventilation or views… They simply can’t provide them.