Installing A Solar Light Tube

Something you may have heard about lately is the Solar Light Tube. A solar light tube is similar to a Skylights in that it only provides light during the day when the sun is out, however, it differs from a skylight in that the light tube does not have to be installed in the roof directly above where you want light. Thus, a light tube can (and usually does) run through an attic to provide light in areas of the home where you would have trouble installing a skylight.

Before you start, you need to choose where the light is going to go on the roof. Though it doesn’t necessarily have to be directly above the spot in the house that it will ultimately light, you want to make sure that the attic space below allows enough room for the tube.

After you’ve picked where to install the light, both inside the house and outside, you’re going to have to cut some holes the tube. On the roof, it is important to cut this hole straight (perpendicular with the floor of the house) because this will make installing the tube a lot easier. If you’re uncomfortable doing this step yourself, bring out a contractor. Inside the house, you’re going to need to repeat the process and cut a hole wherever you want it in the room. Most people cut circular holes by choosing the center point, then drawing a circle around that point and cutting along that line. Once again, if you’ve never cut circular holes with a saw before, you might want to leave this step for a contractor or someone who is more comfortable with this task. You can always make a hole bigger, but making one smaller tends to be very tricky.

Now you’re ready to insert the tube. Most tubes are not going to be the perfect length for your project, so you might have to trim it slightly so that it fits snugly. Before you attach the tube, you’re going to want to weather proof the new hole in your roof. Your instructions will tell you how much spare tube to allocate for both holes.

After you’ve slid the tube into place and screwed it in place, the last step is to attach the diffuser to the tube in the room you’ll be enjoying your new solar tube. The diffuser is much like any other light fixture cover you’ve used before, and attaches in a similar fashion.