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As you explore your product options, we want to help in any way we can. On this page, we give you answers to frequently asked questions, provide important tax credit information, and explain the many benefits of natural lighting. If you can’t find the answers you’re looking for, please contact us for assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional skylights have their place, as do Tubular Daylighting Devices. There are a few key benefits of the Solatube Daylighting System, however, including flexible location options, low cost of installation and better lighting performance. Also, traditional skylights do not offer any optical enhancement devices to help increase performance. On the north side of a sloped roof, the light output from a regular skylight is significantly reduced without these devices.
The Solatube Daylighting System, for example, features several patented enhancement devices, which work in concert to capture more light from all angles and reflect it down the tube for higher light output during early morning, late afternoon and in the winter months when the sun is low on the horizon.
The Solatube Daylighting System transfers the maximum amount of ambient light into a room with minimal light loss, allowing it to provide great performance even on cloudy or rainy days. In fact, it captures ambient light so well, on a full-moon night, you can actually see a nice glow.
All parts are covered by a 10-year warranty. Electrical components are covered by a 5-year warranty.
- The dome is made from high quality acrylic resin that is specifically formulated for increased impact strength, chemical, weather resistance and high clarity. For High Velocity Hurricane Zone areas we have available the Shock Inner Dome for the Brighten Up® Series. For the SolaMaster® Series we offer a Polycarbonate inner dome.
- The tubing is made from puncture proof aluminum sheet with a UV protective covering.
The Solatube Daylighting System is designed to be a sealed unit. All assemblies (dome, flashing, tubing, diffuser) have seals to stop bug and dirt infiltration. The maintenance free design and shape of the dome and flashing eliminates debris build-up. Unlike traditional skylights, there is no open drywall shaft that requires cleaning and re-painting.
The light coverage area for Solatube 160 DS (10 in/250 mm Daylighting System) is approximately 200 square feet (19 sq meter), for a Solatube 290 DS (14in/350 mm Daylighting System) it is approximately 300 square feet (28 sq meter). The Solatube SolaMaster Series 750 DS and 330 DS (21 in/530 mmDaylighting System) illuminates areas up to approximately 500 square feet (46 sq meter). For Commercial Building applications, please consult a SolatubeDaylight Consultant as acceptable illuminated areas will greatly vary due to ceiling heights and space uses.
- These estimated lighting areas are based upon an average 6′ (1.82m) tube length and 8′ (2.4m) ceiling height, with the dome being in direct sunlight.
- Light output will vary depending on the intensity of the sun. For example, there will be more natural daylight at mid-day than in the early morning or evening. Light output may also decrease as the length of tube increases beyond the recommended distances.
Yes, if there is a closet or place for the tubes to run from the roof through the house to the first floor or to the basement. A Solatube 290 DS is recommended due to the long distance from the roof. Usually a chase is built around the tubing for added protection.
Yes! The Solatube Daylight Dimmer (Patent 7,082,726) allows the natural lighting level of a room to be turned up or down on demand, providing unprecedented flexibility for tubular skylights in both residential and commercial applications. The Daylight Dimmer easily controls the amount of light desired in any room from the convenience of a switch. Available for Solatube 160 DS, Solatube 290 DS, Solatube 330/750 DS SolaMaster Series. The patented variable butterfly baffle controls light output, making it perfect for bedrooms, family rooms, offices, classroom and conference rooms.
For further assistance and questions about pricing please visit our dealer locator page to find an expert that can help to make sure all your product and applications are addressed.
The Solar Electric NightLight is an integrated solar-powered nightlight that offers soft, ambient light that helps homeowners navigate their home from sundown to sun up.
Solatube Daylighting Systems vary in price based on the size, the addition of extension tubes and accessories, and different roof types. Prices include product plus a consultation and installation by a Certified Installation Consultant. State and federal tax credits can lower your cost. The Solatube ISn Daylighting System with Solar Electric NightLight qualifies for 30% federal tax credit on cost of the product and installation, saving well over $100 on a single unit. Tax credits available in the U.S. only. Call us for details.
Tax Credit Information
Federal tax credits can help you save a bundle! Both the Solatube ISn Daylighting System and Solar Star® Fan qualify for a 30% federal tax credit because of integrated solar-electric technologies.
When filing your federal taxes, claiming your credit is easy. You simply file IRS Form 5695 and submit your receipt along with the Manufacturer’s Certification for the appropriate product.
Manufacturer's Certifications
Benefits of Natural Lighting
Improve Health Benefits for Seniors
Quality light and a quality life seem to go hand in hand. When older people live in an environment filled with non-glare natural light, they not only negotiate the terrain more confidently, but they also tend to be less depressed, more social, less anxious, have a better appetite, and even sleep better! All these factors add up to a much healthier and happier life, especially for people who are confined to an indoor environment.
As people age, falling can become a very serious health issue. One of the leading causes of falling is insufficient light in the environment. Since aging eyes require a lot more light in order to see, standard lighting often becomes inadequate lighting. Artificial light also tends to be glaring, which hurts aging eyes. When natural light is introduced into a living environment, the non-glare light can create a space with less light/shadow patterning that is often found with artificial light. It is this patterned light that can confuse the aging eye, often resulting in a stumble and fall. The National Safety Council contends that falling accidents are the leading cause of injury related death for people 75 years and older.
Combat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
When days become colder and darker, you may begin to experience such intense feelings as fatigue, lethargy, weight gain, or even depression. You might even have other lesser, more vague symptoms like feeling “cooped up” or having “cabin fever.” Your increased anxiety, oversleeping, or loss of energy may have nothing at all to do with simply going through “the winter blues.” You may, in fact, have a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a cyclic, seasonal type of depression, which causes serious mood alterations in some people during lighting and temperature fluctuations caused by the four seasons. The onset of SAD can occur during any part of the year but most people experience symptoms beginning in the late fall to early winter. Symptoms of SAD can even last until late summer! Every year, half a million people in the United States suffer from this common type of fall- and winter-induced depression.
Not everyone who develops SAD experiences the same symptoms. You may have Seasonal Affective Disorder if your symptoms come and go about the same time each year. Do you:
- Feel sad, grumpy, moody, irritable or anxious?
- Have a drop in energy levels, or feel fatigued?
- Lose interest in your usual activities and avoid social situations?
- Have a change in appetite, especially a craving for sweet or starchy foods such as pasta?
- Sleep more and feel drowsy during the daytime?
- Have difficulty concentrating?
Experts are not exactly sure what causes Seasonal Affective Disorder. However, they note that these series of mood shifts in those who do experience this syndrome are related to the changes in the amount of daylight to which a person is exposed during different times of the year. The lack of light may upset a person’s sleep-wake cycle, or what is known as circadian rhythms. Lack of natural light may also cause a person’s mood to shift off-kilter due to non-sufficient amounts of serotonin in the brain.
What Can Solatube Daylighting Systems Do For You as a Year-round Cure for Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Did you know that Solatube Daylighting Systems are actually good for you? Several prominent studies have shown that increasing daily exposure to natural light can enhance mental and physical well-being, boost concentration and energy levels, and provide a number of other unexpected perks. Now you can have the best solid defense against the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder on an ongoing basis – all day…everyday… conveniently within the privacy of your own home or business – without ever having to go outside. Our exceptional variety of Solatube lighting products actually lets the sun shine in while giving you total control over the amount of light you let in. By providing more continuous, evenly dispersed sunlight to even your darkest rooms, Solatube Daylighting Systems adds an abundance of clear, pure natural light to every interior, thereby creating a natural elevation in mood at all times!
Backed by the highest performance guarantee for all of our Solatube Daylighting System products, Solar Lighting of Virginia will always focus its light on brightening your day! And with our patented, breakthrough technology, you have 24-hour access to all the light therapy you will ever need… year-round… in all the changing seasons.
Enjoy Energy Savings
Light is becoming a very important design element for homes and office buildings. Studies have shown that when people live and work in a well lit environment, they are happier, healthier, and more productive. Unfortunately, bringing light to people is becoming a more expensive proposition as each year goes by. According to some power company studies, nearly one quarter of annual electrical use in the U.S. is attributed to lighting. But all is not lost!
When Solatubes are integrated into the design of interior rooms and hallways, the natural light brought in through these highly reflective tubes is often the only light source required during daylight hours. The Solatubes not only bring in the benefits of natural light (improved moods, increased energy levels, reduced eyestrain, true color rendering, making interior spaces appear larger) into the home or workplace, but it costs absolutely nothing to operate during daylight hours. Now that is a true energy savings!
Help Sell Your House
Do you have a house that has been sitting on the market just a little too long? For less than $1,000 a dark and dreary house can be turned into a real show stopper with the simple addition of one or two strategically placed Solatube Daylighting Systems. Since light is becoming a real design element in home decorating, give your buyers what they want – natural light. And give your seller what they want – a “sold” sign on their front lawn.