Flipping the switches to turn on lights around your home can add up to anywhere between 12-20% of your monthly electricity bill. Climate control accounts for about 30% of that bill. There are a lot of ways to cut back, but one of the most pleasant and easy ways we know of is to have skylights and sun tunnels installed in strategic locations around your home. Not only does bringing more natural sunlight into dark spaces of your home prevent you from flipping switches on, it can actually help regulate the temperature in your home a little more naturally so you don’t have to use as much energy staying comfortable. And that will put you in a good mood twice over—not only does natural lighting help you save energy, but it also has numerous physiological benefits. Natural sunlight in working areas saves on eye strain and is a definite mood booster, particularly during darker winter months.
There are some differences between skylights and sun tunnels that we’ll explain here:
Skylights
Skylights have been around for a long time and continue to rise in popularity (and with good reason). They are a specialized window that looks out directly from the roof, bringing a splash of sunlight right into the room where it’s mounted. They are especially insulated so that winter cold stays out while the extra sunlight helps to boost heat levels in that room. And you can open many models during the summer to ventilate out some of the heat that gets trapped in those rooms where they are installed. They are particularly nice for ventilating steamy bathrooms and hot kitchens. The only real drawback to skylights is that they have to be mounted directly over the room where the sun needs to come in, which means they will only work on the upper floors of a multi-storied home. If you want sunlight in more difficult to reach spaces, however, you have the option of installing sun tunnels…
Sun Tunnels
Sun tunnels can bring sunlight down into more hard-to-reach spaces in your home, even on the lower levels. Sun tunnels are circular mounts in the roof that extend down via rigid or flexible tubing that is reflective on the inside. Flexible models can actually bend around obstructions in the attic so that the light from above bounces all the way down to the spot where you need it. During daylight hours, they can entirely replace the need for flipping a light switch in closets, bathrooms, hallways and other spaces where you can’t have windows and previously always needed to turn on the light. By installing sun tunnels, you can let the sun do it for you! Again, this will save on utility bills, your eyesight and improve your mood.
Installing Skylights and Sun Tunnels
It is important to have a professional install your sun tunnels and skylights because it involves cutting holes into your roof. Anytime you do this, it’s critically important that the installation is correct, with the right weather-tight flashings to prevent any air or water coming in around the edges. We can install new skylights and sun tunnels into your home to give you the benefits of more natural light in areas of your home where you thought it couldn’t go.
Contact Affordable Quality today to discuss your needs: (703) 794-8513