Solatube Myths

Dispelling some myths about Solatube sun tunnels

There remains a lot of misinformation about sun tunnel systems particularly about how bright a Solatube sun tunnel system is and how much light it actually delivers:  Solatube sun tunnels, or sun pipes, can fill even large rooms and hallways with LOTS of very bright daylight.  This light spreads and diffuses throughout interiors and is not a narrow shaft or beam of light.  So, it’s important to dispel the numerous myths that are still doing the rounds about ‘tubular daylighting systems’ in general.  Hence I have gone back over some of the more obvious ones.

A Velux style roof window is NOT designed to deliver light down to the ceiling below

After all, it is a ‘window’, as the name implies, and not a solution for delivering light any sort of distance.  Frustratingly, often these ‘myths’ seem to be perpetuated by some designers and architects who clearly just do not know or understand the various options and choices that are available for getting daylight in to dark interiors, beyond specifying a Velux style roof window with a light well beneath.  Unfortunately, this is an extremely inefficient and costly approach; a roof window is just not designed to deliver light down to the ceiling below; it’s designed to allow light immediately in to a room in the roof, i.e. straight through the roof. Daylight does not bounce or reflect well off a white painted wall of a light well.

A Solatube is specifically designed to deliver light long distances

A Solatube bounces daylight along a highly reflective tube and into dark interiors, extremely effectively and extremely efficiently; this is its whole purpose in life!  A roof window just does not even get close to doing the job as well.  And please don’t think this is a sales pitch against roof windows – it most definitely is not.  I love them when used in the right situations; it’s actually just common sense physics, and not even Brian Cox can change the laws of nature relating to light! Using the world’s most reflective material Solatube sun tunnels can bounce and reflect 99.7% of the daylight outside, direct in to your home.  Just take a look at this example where we compare a Solatube sun tunnel with a Velux style window and light well: https://www.sunpipesouthwest.co.uk/blog-solatube-lightwell/

Solatubes are the most efficient and effective way to pipe light in to dark interiors

Using a Solatube sun pipe means you have a far smaller penetration through your roof that can deliver as much light as a much larger roof window.  Consequently, it is significantly more thermally efficient – you’ll lose far less heat through a Solatube sun tunnel than a much larger roof window (and you’ll also avoid heat gain when it’s sunny).  Additionally, when it rains the drumming from a roof window can be quite intrusive and loud, whereas a Solatube does not suffer from noise.  Take a look here for more information https://www.solatubesouthwest.co.uk/the-brightest/

Don’t believe everything you hear

I suspect that in many other situations when people talk to their builder about getting more light in to a room, the automatic response is a roof window with a light well beneath.  This is borne out of familiarity – it’s what most builder know how to install, and they can also build the framing and plasterboard light well beneath.

It’s understandable that they may not have come across Solatube sun pipes and also understandable that they may not be comfortable about installing them – because it’s something new and unknown to them.  However, none of these are the right reasons on which to base your decision.  A Solatube can be fitted within a few hours without any structural cutting of timbers, studwork, plasterboard and plastering.  To finish a roof window with its attendant light well beneath requiring timber framing, plasterboard, plastering and decorating will take significantly longer and use significantly more materials and will ultimately cost you more.  Take a look here for more information https://www.solatubesouthwest.co.uk/installation/

An equivalent Solatube delivers 10 times more light than a flexi tube

And even if you do ask a builder to install a sun pipe or sun tunnel, whatever you do PLEASE ensure they don’t persuade you to have a flexible tube system.  I’ve talked about this many times before, but if there’s only one piece of advice you take away from this it is, ‘do not install a flexible tube system’ as they just do not deliver any meaningful amounts of light.

Without the experience of installing numerous types of system, a builder might think that a flexi tube system is easier to install.  But they’re not, and if your flexi tube is bent round roof timbers and obstacles to get it in, then each bend restricts the aperture, and combined with the light bouncing off the crinkled surface in all directions rather than down the tube, you’ll end up with very little light at the end of the tube.

98% or 99.7% reflective – it makes a BIG difference

Most other systems use a less reflective material in their tubes. It may not sound like a big difference but just consider the physics for a moment:

• 98% reflective: Each time light bounces down the tube it loses 2% of its energy, or light.  Over just 10 bounces that equates to a 20% loss of light.
• 7% reflective: Each time light bounces down the tube it loses just 0.3% of its energy, or light.  Over 10 bounces that equates to a tiny 3% loss of light.

Not all architects understand tubular daylight systems

What else… oh, one more thing; the number of people coming to talk to us with plans for their new homes.  It’s great to share the joy and excitement of these people as they talk excitedly about how a new home is going to change and improve their lives.  What never ceases to amaze me, though, is that whilst these plans include a Solatube sun pipe to help light up a dark interior, clearly the architect or designer has no concept of how much light these systems can deliver (I stress that it’s not all architects and designers).

Seeing a small hallway, study or bathroom with 2, 3 and sometimes 4 systems specified when just a single, small 250mm diameter systems will be more than enough is deeply frustrating.  Why would anyone install MORE systems than are actually needed?  It costs more and leads to greater heat loss, not to mention the unnecessary use of increasingly scarce resources which are used to manufacture these systems.

A Solatube sun tunnel is far brighter than most people think

A Solatube sun tunnel delivers LOTS of incredibly bright daylight; far more than most people can believe; that is until they see one for themselves.  So just take a look at some of the short ‘before and after’ videos I’ve taken to get a really good idea as to just how effective and bright a Solatube is https://www.solatubesouthwest.co.uk/video-gallery/.

And then talk to ANY of our customers and you won’t be left in the dark as to how bright a Solatube is (nearly all our customers are so impressed and proud with their Solatube they offer to allow other people to come and see them, so please just ask and it can be arranged).

Enough said for now.  If you are interested in bringing natural light into your home, why not contact us at Sunpipe Southwest; 07989 976 010) to find out whether a Solatube sun pipe can help you.  Typically, a fully installed system might cost anywhere between £850 – £1,250; that’s supplied, professionally installed and includes the VAT.