Let There be Light (and Sun Tunnels)

The whole lot you’ve ever wished to learn about VELUX Solar Tunnels!

As I’ve talked about in a earlier publish, the most effective choices we now have ever made for our home, by way of renovations, has been including VELUX skylights. However there are just a few areas in our residence the place Solar Tunnels are the higher selection, for numerous causes. And guess what…we simply had 5 Solar Tunnels put in!

Now that we now have each choices in our residence, I can evaluate the 2 and share my trustworthy opinion. In case you’re deciding between the 2. Or just need to know extra about Solar Tunnels.

*And it’s good timing too as a result of you possibly can enter to win your very personal VELUX Solar Tunnels to your residence via all of July. All the small print for tips on how to enter are on the finish of the publish. So don’t miss it.

Skylights vs Solar Tunnels

Now that I’ve each (skylights and Solar Tunnels), I can confidently say that I like BOTH. Every has their place, so let’s undergo it…

Skylights present essentially the most quantity of pure gentle, when evaluating the 2. And also you even have the choice to have air flow with contemporary air skylights that you just wouldn’t have with Solar Tunnels, for instance.

However Sun Tunnels are simpler and quicker to put in, extra reasonably priced than skylights, and may be put in in tight areas that skylights wouldn’t be capable to get into. Like rooflines that don’t enable for skylights, crowded attic areas, and many others. And whereas Solar Tunnels don’t present as a lot pure gentle as a full blown skylight does, they nonetheless present transformative quantities of sunshine. And look nice.

Whether or not you select Solar Tunnels or skylights boils all the way down to:

• the quantity of pure gentle you’re hoping to attain
• your particular state of affairs, in relation to roofing and attic particulars
• and your price range

For our home, there are use circumstances for every of the 2. So, the areas we had Solar Tunnels put in are a terrific match for Solar Tunnels, in our explicit home. And likewise, the areas that we had our skylights put in are good for skylights. Usually, skylights are nice for dwelling areas, bedrooms, and kitchens. And Solar Tunnels are nice for laundry rooms, hallways, and loos.

You possibly can see our VELUX skylights set up right here. Now we have ten skylights.

The place We Put in Solar Tunnels

1) Rest room

Our visitor rest room (which can be Hayes’ rest room) was very, very darkish after we moved in. There’s a small window, however with our prolonged eaves from the roof and the frosted glass, hardly any gentle was stepping into this room. As you possibly can see from the earlier than photograph.

We added two Solar Tunnels the REALLY brighten issues up. Then finish end result feels gentle and ethereal. Leaps and bounds higher than earlier than. And we nearly by no means even have to show the lights on to see in right here now. Earlier than we completely needed to flip the sunshine on to see on this tiny rest room.

I ought to in all probability point out…Now we have plans to utterly transform this area sooner or later. However for now, some contemporary paint and decor helps make this area really feel up to date, particularly with all of the pure gentle coming in from the Solar Tunnels. Pure gentle makes EVERYTHING higher in relation to interiors.

2) Hallway

Beforehand, within the hallway, we had one (very previous and tiny) overhead gentle. It didn’t present very a lot gentle in any respect and the area felt slightly claustrophobic due to how darkish it was.

Now that we’ve put in a Solar Tunnel in right here, it feels extra spacious and welcoming. Particularly with the hallway being proper off the visitor rest room – that complete part of the home has brightened up. And with the brand new arch that now goes from the hallway to the eating room, the Solar Tunnel shines gentle straight onto the art work I’ve hanging in there. Makes it really feel a bit extra particular and fancy, imo.

3) Entryway

Final however not least, let’s speak about our entryway.

In the summertime particularly this space doesn’t get very a lot daylight in any respect, even with the reeded glass door (once more due to the prolonged eaves). And skylights weren’t an choice as a result of our roof proper above this area could be very excessive and bizarre, to elucidate it merely. So, we put in two Solar Tunnels to usher in a number of the pure gentle we’d been lacking proper right here.

It actually has remodeled the vibe if you stroll within the entrance door and has even introduced some extra pure gentle into the kitchen, which was a pleasing shock.

Which of the three areas do you assume is essentially the most remodeled with the brand new Solar Tunnels?

The place do you have to use Solar Tunnels in a house?

I like them for loos, laundry rooms, hallways and every other areas which can be thought of tight or tough areas.

For instance, our hallway and entryway areas are locations that skylight installs wouldn’t be potential due to the roof and attic above these areas. Solar Tunnels make it potential to nonetheless get pure gentle into these areas.

How a lot gentle does a Solar Tunnel present?

It’s exhausting to explain in phrases – I believe the earlier than and after images say all of it. However they supply even pure gentle any area.

And one of many different actually cool issues about VELUX Solar Tunnels is which you could have solar night lights put in along with your Solar Tunnels, that go contained in the tunnel (you possibly can’t see them from the skin).

They have a photovoltaic photo voltaic panel that fees up in the course of the day, contained in the tunnel, from the pure gentle, and that vitality is saved to create a gentle glow at evening. It actually helps gentle the best way with out using overhead lighting. Excellent for the nighttime, if you don’t need to flip a harsh, vibrant gentle on to get to the lavatory or stroll via the home.

Additional bonus…if you select a photo voltaic evening gentle to your Solar Tunnel, it qualifies you for the 26% photo voltaic tax credit score! Extra on the tax credit score under.

How are Solar Tunnels put in?

VELUX Solar Tunnel skylights have a number of elements:

• a lens that’s put in within the roof
• a diffuser put in within the ceiling
• after which the lens and diffuser are related by a extremely reflective aluminum tunnel that directs clear, vibrant daylight to the room under. So cool!

Typical set up time is barely about 2 hours.

What do Solar Tunnels seem like on the roof?

We went with VELUX Wildfire Solar Tunnels which can be particularly designed for Wildland City Interface zones (since I dwell in an space that may be susceptible to wildfires). Which implies the Solar Tunnels we now have are fabricated from all fireplace resistant supplies on the outside, with a fireproof tempered diamond wire flat glass, permitting it to move an ASTM E108 Class A Burn Model Take a look at. Necessary for anybody who lives in an space susceptible to fires.

They’re additionally formed slightly totally different that common Solar Tunnels on the outside. So mine seem like common skylights from the outside roofline (flat glass on high, not domed).

Solar Tunnels that don’t have to be fireplace rated are available dome form or flat glass, so you might have choices for what they seem like from the roofline. You possibly can study extra about this here.

How a lot do Solar Tunnels value?

I all the time discover it useful to know approximate prices, so I wished to be sure you embrace this data. As I’m certain you possibly can guess, costs fluctuate primarily based on location and what sort of Solar Tunnel(s) you choose to your residence. As a leaping off level, costs fluctuate from someplace round $650 to $2150 (which incorporates product and set up), relying on the kind of roof and the complexity of the set up.

VELUX additionally has an estimated cost breakdown on their web site, that goes via Solar Tunnel worth ranges that you just would possibly discover useful.

Is there a tax credit score obtainable?

For those who go for Solar Tunnels with the photo voltaic evening gentle (like I’ve), assuming they’re put in earlier than Dec 31, 2022, then YES there’s a tax credit score concerned: it’s a 26% federal tax credit score. We love having the photo voltaic evening gentle on all of our Solar Tunnels, so we will see at evening with out having to show a lightweight on. So I extremely suggest going that route, for those who can.

That’s it for now. Let me know when you have any Solar Tunnel or skylight comparability questions in any respect. I’m completely happy to reply.

Enter to Win VELUX Solar Tunnels

Wanna win Solar Tunnels to your residence? The VELUX Daylight to Night Light Sweepstakes will brighten any room in your house with VELUX Solar Tunnel Skylights. The grand prize is 2 VELUX Solar Tunnel Skylights with photo voltaic evening lights and set up included. The sweeps is open from 9 am on July 1 and closes at 11:59 pm on July 31, 2022. Enter to win here!

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This publish is sponsored by VELUX. All opinions are my very own. Thanks for supporting the manufacturers that assist me proceed to deliver content material like this to you.