[nanci2539]

We have friends who had two skylights installed in their kitchen - not solar lighting, regular sky lights with panals that open via a remote.

It's really neat. Anyone else have it done?

[k2at]

I had a skylight installed in my NJ home which also opens up. Being able to open it allows the heat in the house to escape and it shuts automatically in case of rain. One does not have to be home to shut it as it closes whenever moisture is present. I have had it for better than 5 years and it has never failed to function correctly.

It also has a remote control so one can open or close it at will.

[nanci2539]

I had them in my home in IL but they were stationary.

Do you know of anyone reliable that installs them in a designer home? I want to have two installed in my kitchen.

[BBQMan]

I had four installed in my designer home for Solatube. Put them in the kitchen, laundry room, guest bath and laundry room. Extremely satisfied.

[Floridagal]

What is the cost for a solar light?

[SteveFromNY]

The cost is around $400 per solartube. We had 3 installed (bathroom, kitchen and laundry) in a Gardenia and it cost almost $1200.
I think there are 2 different threads going on here. It started with skylights whcih I assume means the traditional rectangular or suqare openings in the roof. And it's changed to solar tubes.

[KathieI]

I agree Steve. I'm more interested in the answer about skylights than the solar tubes. I have the solar tubes guys coming out next week but my plan was to put in a sky light in my kitchen. Can anyone tell me who can do this? I had them in my last house in CA and I loved them much more than the solar tubes. HELPPPPP!
Thanks.. for anyone who can give me a contractor name.

[graciegirl]

I have three very large skylights in our loft that opens to the great room and the areas are flooded with light but it is not so hot consistently here in Ohio.

I wonder if the solar tube that catches light and bounces it around inside somehow, the hole being much smaller than a skylight would be a benefit because it catches light and not so much heat?

[SteveFromNY]

Gracie - I had skylights in my NY house as well, and they did let a lot of heat in. It was great in the winter, not so great in summer. I'm not sure how the science of it all works - perhaps it's the fact that the opening on the bottom of a solartube is covered - but I don't feel any heat from the solartubes whatsoever.

[salpal]

I have skylights here in my northeast home. They have a screen and can be manually opened (via a long pole). They are wonderful in the winter. In the summer, they let in too much heat from sun, so much so that I actually block them using an opened umbrella in the opening. I do not think they would be the best idea for Florida, but that is just my opinon.

[nanci2539]

The original question was does anyone have skylights, not solar tubes, installed in the home in TV. I also had them up north, a lot of people do but I now live in TV and wonder if it makes sense to have them installed. I personally don't like the look of solar tubes but do like the look of skylights.

I'm sure there are general contractors who do this type of work but a referral is always the better way to go.

[k2at]

What about skylights with shades built into the glass that can be opened or partially shut? Like the Pella windows which have the blinds built between the two layers of glass. They must make skylights with this system.