[Dan T]

Wondering if anybody has skylights installed in their home? I’m not interested in getting those round portal. The living room is so dark so I though skylights would be nice but I don’t know they they install them here. Thanks in advance!

[retiredguy123]

I think that The Solars Guys will install a skylight. They mostly install solar tubes, but their website shows skylights.

[Decadeofdave]

In a dark living room you can also install flat LED lights in the ceiling. Skylight might produce a lot of heat, even with coated e glass. Lenart electric

[JGVillages]

We purchased our pre owned home 15+ years ago and it has a skylight and Solar tube in our Great Room. Also a solar tubes in our Kitchen and 2nd Bath. If I had a choice between a Skylight and Solar Tubes for me the Solar Tubes provide more light.

[villagetinker]

OP, skylights will cost ($$$$) and only work when the sun is shining. Recessed LED lights with dimmer controls will cost ($$$) and work ALL the time, and do not require a hole in your roof. Just my humble opinion, you will save a lot of money having one or more ceiling lights installed instead of skylights.

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Dan T

Wondering if anybody has skylights installed in their home? I’m not interested in getting those round portal.

Do consider the heat that skylights will let in, before dismissing solar tubes.

[Michael G.]

I lived in a house facing north and south up north and now own a house facing the same direction.

I would never own a house facing any other way especially taking advantage of the south sun for light and the north shade.
I have lots of windows facing south that lights up the whole house except of course the bedrooms.

Something to think about for those looking to buy.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

OP, skylights will cost ($$$$) and only work when the sun is shining. Recessed LED lights with dimmer controls will cost ($$$) and work ALL the time, and do not require a hole in your roof. Just my humble opinion, you will save a lot of money having one or more ceiling lights installed instead of skylights.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by villagetinker

OP, skylights will cost ($$$$) and only work when the sun is shining. Recessed LED lights with dimmer controls will cost ($$$) and work ALL the time, and do not require a hole in your roof. Just my humble opinion, you will save a lot of money having one or more ceiling lights installed instead of skylights.

And now we know why you do not see skylights around here.

thanks again for sharing your expertise.

[skippy05]

I have seen many different houses with Solar Tubes and all that I have seen produce a blue-ish LED light in the room that is beyond terrible. Unless some model can produce true sunlight wavelength light in the room I would forget this idea. Think about the hue of the light and the way it makes you feel about the space. It is VERY important to being able to enjoy the room.

[Toymeister]

You can certainly get skylights installed after home construction.

There are a few reasons that they are not common. The first is they are not necessary, light tubes provide more than enough light in sunny Florida.

The second revolves around cost. Light tubes are cheap and simple to install. The third is the flexibility of positioning of the light tubes vice skylights. By their nature skylights must be positioned in-between roof trusses. Light tubes can be placed virtually anywhere you need the light.

[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by Dan T

Wondering if anybody has skylights installed in their home? I’m not interested in getting those round portal. The living room is so dark so I though skylights would be nice but I don’t know they they install them here. Thanks in advance!

I had two Solar tubes installed in the ceiling of my dark living room, and it made a huge difference. They have UV filters to keep out light that fades fabric, and they are warm in the day but not hot. They cost about $850, installed, each, and one expert from the Solar Guys has one in in an hour. They don’t seem to leak, properly installed, and they do install them properly, without a mess.

By contrast, a big skylight can really heat up a room unbearably. A lot of people who have them have shades they can draw to decrease the intensity of the light. They are prone to leaking. They require a large hole in the roof, and we do get a lot of rain here. There has to be a long (perhaps six or eight feet) box made of 2x4s and drywall to connect the skylight with the ceiling. (Long, but only as wide as the distance between your roof trusses unless you are willing to weaken your roof by cutting through a truss. Thus, your light is coming through a deep and narrow slot.) Meanwhile, hot air in the attic and from the skylight heats the drywall, and then the room. It probably isn’t insulated as well as the ceiling. Also, it’s difficult to keep the drywall seam from cracking where the vertical and horizontal meet, as roof trusses expand and contract a bit with temperature changes. And people will be working in your living room for at least several days, what with cutting holes, building the box, drywall taping and mudding, and painting. I would guess that a $2,000 high quality skylight could easily cost $6,000 fully installed.

[Luggage]

We have two solar tubes one in our laundry room which is perfect and another one in our large front to back living room which has a lot of light. Never a leak does not add any heat. And if you need more than that especially at night I would add a few cans LEDs . Make sure you get the 5,000 bright white LEDs versus the other ones that are yellowish.

[milling73]

You should look at homes with solar tubes. They do emit as much light as a sky light, with less chance of leakage. We have a solar tube and love how much it brightens the area. Neighbor has sky light and has repaired roof twice around it.

[Bridget Staunton]

Solar Guys very professional company, absolutely no debris. We had 3 installed and it gives a lot more light