Energy Efficiency: Tubular Skylights Introduce Daylight to Dark Homes
Posted by Matt Beaton on Thu, May 06, 2010 @ 09:00 PM
There's a lot of talk about replacing incandescent lightbulbs with flourescent or even LED equivalents to help make your house more energy efficient. Bad experiences with expensive or leaky skylights prevent people from considering them as part of their overall lighting plan.
Tubular skylights are a nice compromise. They are less expensive than traditional skylights and are much easier to install. In addition, they can bring light to places in your home where daylight can't easily reach.
I've used these before here in Massachusetts; but, this recent story on greenbuildingadvisor.com inspired me to write about them in the blog.
Some of the advantages of tubular skylights include:
- No electricity required to operate
- No structural modifications are required to support the installation
- Full-spectrum light is provided--which can help to stave off “Seasonal Affective Disorder” (SAD)
Costs range from about $150 at the low end to over $600 for the largest, deluxe models, plus installation.