[villages07]

I was at Market of Marion last week and both SolarGuys (Solatube brand) and SkyTec (Velux brand) solar tube vendors were there. To my uneducated eye, the Velux brand seemed to have improved on the design of the solatube (the original patent) in how its mounted to the roof and attached to the ceiling. Velux seems to be less expensive too.

Anybody else do product research to compare the two? Anybody use SkyTec to install? Comments on their price/performance.

Thanks...

[handieman]

I studied them all and went with solarlights Inc out of Ocala. Good product, right price, wonderfull installation. We installed 2 10" in the bathrooms and one 14" in the kitchen. Donna did the same thing, check with her also.
handie :joke:

[villages07]

handie...thanks for the info; do you know the name of the manufacturer of the product? also, how much did they charge for the 14"?

Good to see the 'old' handie avatar picture is back

[villages07]

greg..... I agree with you; after lots of study and asking a number of people, I decided to go with the Solar Guys and the solatube product. It is very bright and they did a good, efficient job on the install. Just remember to ask them to show you all the diffuser (light covers) styles they have....the standard one is plain; they have a fancier one for $20 extra.

[handieman]

Solarlights Inc in Ocala

2 -10" & 1- 13" $1138.00 installed and very pleased (2007 prices)

Handie :joke:

[golfnut]

I went with the solartubes from the solar guys and am very happy.

[zcaveman]

Originally Posted by handieman

Solarlights Inc in Ocala

2 -10" & 1- 13" $1138.00 installed and very pleased (2007 prices)

Handie :joke:

Just out of cutriosity have you figured how many light bulbs you would have to replace to get the payback from the solar tubes?

I have lived here for 7 years and have had to replace two recessed lights at $7 a piece.

[golfnut]

I like the ambiance of natural light much more than light bulbs. Plus, it just seems silly to leave lights on all day long.

[zcaveman]

I am a lights on/lights off person. I can still hear my mother say "why is there a light on in this room when no one is in it?"

I have those special bulbs in some of the rooms. But they never seem as bright as a regular bulb.

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by handieman

Solarlights Inc in Ocala

2 -10" & 1- 13" $1138.00 installed and very pleased (2007 prices)

Handie :joke:

Handie - 2008 prices are exactly the same. I just purchased the same 3 (2 - 10" and 1 - 13") for the exact same $1138! They were at Spanish Springs last Saturday and we set up the install for a couple of weeks from now.
I can't wait - they are a great product. We saw them at a neighbor's and my wife and I both walked out saying "We have to get those".

And it doesn't matter that it will take 6,000 years for them to cost-justify themselves - the light is just great!

[KathieI]

Maybe this was discussed before and if so, I'm sorry but I have never heard of solar tubes until I visited TV. In L.A., we use skylights that are larger and give much more natural light than those smaller tubes. Is there a weather related reason why no skylights are used in TV or is it just more a preferential thing? Can someone explain it to me? Thanks, Kathie

[SteveFromNY]

Kathie,
We had skylights in NY and they are generally large openings (2'x4' being the ones we had), and they let light straight in, without filtering in anyway. They also let in heat, so in the winter are a great source of supplemental heat (not so much in the summer).
These solar tubes take in the light, reflect it around inside somehow, and then diffuse the light out through what almost look like LED lenses. No heat comes out, just really soft light that is incredibly white.
I'd heard of them but never seen them until we were in our neighbor's last week. My wife and I were amazed at what they did to the dark rooms of the Gardenia we were in. The laundry room and bathroom were literally as bright as day.
You can spot them on folks houses all over the place. Small round plastic bubbles on roofs - they are everywhere. Find somebody with them and take a look!
Steve

[Boomer]

Originally Posted by KathieI

Maybe this was discussed before and if so, I'm sorry but I have never heard of solar tubes until I visited TV. In L.A., we use skylights that are larger and give much more natural light than those smaller tubes. Is there a weather related reason why no skylights are used in TV or is it just more a preferential thing? Can someone explain it to me? Thanks, Kathie

Hi KathieI,

We had never seen solar tubes either until we were in TV. I think the purpose they serve is to light those inside rooms that have no windows anywhere. No light whatsoever. Someone told us that at first, they kept trying automatically to turn off their bathroom light even though it was not on.

We thought we would really like solar tubes in windowless rooms.

Mr. Boomer, who makes a study of this sort of thing, thinks that maybe solar tubes are easier to install. He is not home right now or I would ask him why he thinks that. I know that with skylights, the installer needs to have a major clue or you can have some leak problems so it seems. Solar tubes, too, maybe. Don't know. I also don't know about cost difference. Or maybe skylights would let in too much Florida sun. Actually all I do seem to know is that I don't know what I am talking about here.

But when I saw solar tubes for the first time, in a windowless room in TV, I said, "I don't know what it is, but I want it!"

Boomer

[KathieI]

Thanks Steve and B3:

I have rented houses here that have had the tubes and I like them, except I find the light is very intense and glaring and wonder if there is a way to diffuse this. In LA I have a skylight that is frosted glass (or whatever the material is) and it lets in much more light and no sunlight, which I prefer if a room is small and dark.

Just a thought. Thanks, Kath

[F16 1UB]

Copious amounts of wine or a can of black spray paint. Guaranteed to dephooozzze.


;D