Skylight Too Costly? Tube Kits Do the Job

Question: Several rooms, especially my kitchen, always need the lights on. I prefer natural daylight, but I cannot afford a skylight. What do you think of the less expensive skylight tube kits? Do they work?

Answer: As an engineer, I evaluated performance claims by the many skylight tube manufacturers. After doing all the technical calculations, I installed a medium-size kit in my own home as the ultimate test.

In a word--wow! The amount of light from the skylight tube kit was truly impressive. It has been in for two months now and every time I leave that room, I still reach out to switch off the light that is never on.

Everything does look better under natural light. In the kitchen, foods look more appetizing under daylight as compared to bulbs. Since natural light is full-spectrum light, some claim it minimizes winter “blues.” From indoors, a kit looks just like an ordinary round ceiling light fixture.

A bathroom or dressing area is another excellent location for a skylight tube kit. Some models now have optional ceiling vent kits that light and vent the bathroom with one unit. The small fan is mounted up in the vent tube section, well above the bathroom ceiling, so it operates quietly.

If you surf the Internet or read home magazines, it seems like everyone is selling skylight tube kits. Don’t just buy the cheapest one because there are major differences in quality. The kits are shipped with various levels of preassembly for easy installation and some have lifetime warranties.

A skylight tube is simply a tube (a rigid smooth or a flexible corrugated material, 10 to 21 inches in diameter) with a super-reflective lining. It runs from your ceiling up through the roof. There is a light diffuser on the ceiling and clear dome on the end that sticks up through the roof.

The major advantages of a skylight tube over a standard flat skylight are its low cost, simple do-it-yourself installation and its energy efficiency. Because it is relatively small in diameter and the entire tube forms a sealed dead-air space, there is little energy loss when it’s compared to a skylight.

The quality of the reflective tube is the key to a bright, efficient skylight tube. Two of the best rigid aluminum tube materials to check are Alcoa Everbrite 95 and 3M Silverlux. If your attic has many obstructions, the corrugated reflective tube material simplifies installation.

Electric light kits, which mount inside the tube, provide light at night for rooms that do not already have ceiling fixtures. If you like bright light in the early morning or evening, consider a kit with a prismatic top dome. Optional snap-in “mood” ceiling diffusers vary the lighting appearance.

Write for (or instantly download https://www.dulley.com) Update Bulletin No. 542, a buyer’s guide to the best skylight tube kits, materials, warranties, sizes, features and prices. Please include $3 and a business-size self-addressed stamped envelope and send to James Dulley, Los Angeles Times, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244.

‘Party Wall’ Helps to Deaden the Noise

Q: We are in the design phase of a major room addition to our house. Several times our builder has mentioned using a “party wall” for the outdoor walls because it is efficient. What exactly is it?

A: Party wall is often used to refer to a staggered stud wall. The wall uses 2-by-8 top and bottom plates. The 2-by-4 wall studs are staggered, one to the inside edge and the next to the outside edge of the 2-by-8 plates.

With this design, no stud touches both the inside wall and the outdoor wall surface. The insulation is woven continuously through the staggered studs so there are no breaks. This is also a very quiet wall-construction method.

James Dulley has written a new 208-page book, “Earth Friendly Home,” which include buyers’ guides of 460 manufacturers of alternative energy and Y2K products, 21 low-cost conservation projects and 10 landscaping plans. You can order this book directly from James Dulley for $13.95 (includes delivery) with check payable to James Dulley. Mail to James Dulley, Earth Books, P.O. Box 54987, Cincinnati, OH 45254 or visit https://www.dulley.com/earth.htm.