General

Q. How does a Solatube work?

A. On the roof, Solatube’s patented reflective system which is located inside the skylight dome redirects low angle light and more ambient light down through highly reflective tubing.
This tubing maximizes light and is far more efficient than a traditional drywall skylight shaft, which can loose over half of its potential light.
At the ceiling level, a diffuser that resembles a recessed light fixture spreads the light evenly throughout the room.

Q. How large an area does the Solatube light?

A. A 10-inch Solatube will provide light for a 100 square foot area, the 14-inch Solatube lights a 200 square foot area.
The square feet of estimated lighted area is based upon a tube length of 6 feet, an 8 foot ceiling, with the dome being in direct sunlight.
The light output will very depending on the intensity of the sun. For example, there will be more light at mid-day than in the morning or evening. Light output may also decrease as the length of tube increases.

Q. What is Spectralight 2000?

A. Proprietary Spectralight 2000 tubing provides up to 95% total reflectance and 92% specular reflectance. It is the most reflective material on the world market today and is used on all tube sizes and diameters.

Q. How does Solatube’s light output compare to electric lights or traditional skylights?

A. Light is measured in lumens and energy usage in watts. A standard 100 watt incandescent bulb produces 1200 lumens. A 40-watt, 48-inch fluorescent tube produces 2300 lumens.
The 10-inch Solatube produces up to 3750 lumens
The 14-inch Solatube produces up to 6500 lumens
The 16-inch Solatube produces up to 8200 lumens
The 10inch Solatube compares to a 2' x 2' skylight and the 14-inch compares to a 2' x 4' skylight.

Q.What happens on a cloudy day?

A. Patented internal reflective systems for the 10-inch and 16-inch Solatubes, along with highly reflective tubing, transfers direct and ambient light down into the room with minimal light loss, providing good performance even on cloudy days.
The 14-inch Solatube features RayBender™ technology, a proprietary lens designed to direct light from any direction down the tube for maximum light output.

Q. Will a Solatube work when installed on the north side of a house?

A. A Solatube works well on the north side of a house. However, it does work best when it is exposed to direct sunlight. Therefore it performs better where it receive as much direct sunlight as possible.

Q. How long can the tube be?

A. As the tube length gets longer, the light output is reduced. Good lighting results can be expected for tube lengths up to 10 feet for the 10-inch Solatube and 15 feet for the 14-inch and the 16-inch Solatubes.

Q. How does a Solatube bring in more light than a traditional skylight?

A. Traditional skylights pass light through a drywall shaft and into the home. Using this process, a large percentage of light is absorbed in the shaft and never reaches the room’s interior.
Solatube’s patented reflective system found inside the dome redirects low angle light (early morning and evening light) down the reflective tubing and into the room.
Due to the tremendous reflectivity of the tubing, less light is absorbed and more useable light actually reaches the room where it is needed.

Q. To what degree do colder weather and northern latitudes affect Solatube performance? (i.e. Maine, Alaska, Austria, Switzerland, "snow areas"?

A. We have many Solatubes installed in the northern USA, Canada and Europe. Having a complete sealed system, Solatube works very well in cold weather.
Because of its small size and seals at the ceiling level, Solatube causes almost no heat gain. This also prevents warm moist air from inside the house escaping and condensing inside the skylight.
In extremely cold weather, a small amount of frost may appear inside the dome, but this disappears again when the temperature increases.

Installation

Q. Is Solatube difficult to install?

A. No. The 10-inch and 14-inch Solatubes fit easily between roof rafters, and require no structural changes, so there is no need for a carpenter to build a skylight shaft using lumber, drywall, plaster and paint.
Our adjustable tubing design includes two angle adapters that allow installation around attic obstructions and extension tubing comes in short segments that fit easily together.
Furthermore, all tubing has been designed to telescope together to make installation expedient.

Q. How long does it take to install a Solatube

A. Approximately two hours or less on shingle asphalt roofs, while other roof types may take slightly longer.

Q. When do you install the Solatube if you are re-roofing?

A. Generally, after the new roof is in place. However, the Solatube can easily be installed at the same time that the roof is going on in most cases.
When installing a Solatube on a tile roof, installation is usually is done after the roof is completed. On hot mop applications installation can be done before or after.

Q. What if there is no attic space? Or if I have a cathedral ceiling?

A. Our product has been designed for installation even where there is no access to the attic, and with numerous flashings and options, most all applications can be addressed.

Q. Can Solatubes be installed in commercial buildings?

A. Yes. Solatubes have been installed on commercial buildings throughout the world including, schools, churches, industrial buildings, post offices, and hospitals. We also offer some unique accessories for commercial applications.

Durability, Maintenance and Leaks

Q. Do Solatubes leak?

A. Solatube is designed for leak-free operation when properly installed. The metal, injection molded polypropylene, or fiberglass roof flashings are one-piece and seamless to eliminate leakage.

Q. How durable is the Solatube?

A.All parts are covered by a 10-year warranty.
The Duradome10 is made from a high quality acrylic resin that is specifically formulated for increased impact, chemical, weather resistance and high clarity.
The tubing is made from puncture proof aluminum sheet with a UV protective covering, which prevents deterioration over time.
Other assemblies are injection molded to ensure strength and quality.

Q. Is Solatube maintenance free?

A. All assemblies (dome, diffuser, flashing) have seals and all joints are sealed to stop bugs and dirt infiltration. Solatube is designed to be a sealed unit.
Unlike traditional skylights, there is no messy drywall shaft that requires cleaning and re-painting.
The design and shape of the dome and flashing eliminates build-up of outside debris, making the Solatube maintenance free.

Q. Are there any condensation problems?

A. No. The Solatube is completely sealed at the ceiling location to prevent warm moist air in the house from migrating up the tube. The dome seal allows the outside air to mix with the tube air, eliminating the air temperature contrast that contributes to condensation.

Q. What is the snow load?

A. Tests have indicated a maximum load of 140 pounds per square foot on the dome. Warranty and Technical Information

Q. What is the product warranty?

A. The product warranty for all skylight components is 10 years and for all other products is 3 years. Your installer should provide a warranty for installation.

Q. What approvals does Solatube have?

A. Solatube is approved by:
ICBO
SBCCI
Underwriters Laboratories
(UL, CUL) City of Los Angeles
Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI)
Dade County (hurricane testing)
HUD Approval -- exceeds all wind zone requirements