Sun Tunnels Versus Traditional Skylights

Sun Tunnels Versus Traditional Skylights

Sun tunnels

Sun tunnels are the emerging trend in natural home lighting. Sun tunnels capture sunlight and transmit down through a solid reflective tube. Flexibility and cost efficiency are two important factors that make sun tunnels the best choice. The quality of light it offers is impeccable and far better than any electric lighting. Because of their structure, sun tunnels can usually be put in any home and illuminate any room.

Traditional skylights

Traditional skylights have been in use for some time, and are glass panes usually inserted into the roof of any residential or commercial building. Despite their novelty and energy efficiency, traditional skylights are more expensive than their tunnel counterpart. The installation and maintenance cost is higher as the maintenance may include reframing or painting the whole structure.

Sun Tunnels versus Traditional Skylights

Sun tunnels are can be viewed as better than traditional skylights due to the following reasons:

Daylight Consistency

The nature of sun tunnels, and refraction of light, means that the concentration of sunlight is stronger than in traditional skylights. The diffusers used in the sun tunnels scatter natural light evenly decreasing its natural harshness and still providing efficient illumination. The traditional skylights just transmit hot sunrays. Even if it lights up the surroundings the consistency of light offered differs, as the light is not concentrated on to a single point. In addition to their limited concentration, traditional skylights are constantly exposed to heat ray and other elements that can decrease their lifespan.

Quality of Output

The color temperature in lighting is used as a measure to determine its quality; a higher value of color spectrum temperature indicates a better output. While an energy saving bulb or led light spectrum has about 3200 kelvins as output; the solar tubes produces an output of above 5500 kelvin constantly. As the light supply of traditional skylights is not constant the measure of output remains dynamic.

Energy Efficiency

Solar tubes and skylights are meant to be energy efficient. But when compared with performance, solar tubes produce greater output with less investment, energy efficiently. Hence without compromising with the output, energy efficient solar tubes are more reliable.

Ease of Installation

The solar tubes can fit in any where without having to make any compromise with the structure, still leaving it unharmed and less disturbed. The flexible tubes can reach any odd corner of the building bringing in more light. Traditional skylights should be planned during the initial home design or during a roof remodeling or roof repair. Installation cost of solar tubes accounts to a fraction of amount spent for skylights.

Ease of Maintenance

The maintenance cost of solar tubes is very small. Once installed, sun tunnels can be left alone for quite some time. Traditional skylights on the other hand, require regular maintenance checks in order to maintain beauty and effectiveness.

Trendy Designs and Functionality

The skylights are designed in different shapes to suit your interior. The solar tubes are never set back, they are available in different shapes and designs clinging on to the onset trend making your interior brighter and trendy.

Affordability

The cost factor plays an important role in determining the reliability of a product. Sun tunnels are much cheaper when compared to skylights. The performance it offers in such low cost makes it highly dependable.