What factors contribute to the widespread popularity of solar light? And maybe most importantly, does solar tube illumination have any potential drawbacks?
One of the most well-liked approaches to creating a living space that illuminates by natural light is to install solatube lighting. It offers a number of advantages, including a cut in monthly electricity costs and an increase in the amount of sunlight.
But before we get off on the pros and downsides of solarlight, we should be on the same page with what we can classify as solar tube lighting. There are a few different types of lighting that fall under this category. This essay will also discuss the benefits and drawbacks of using solar tubes, both of which will cover.
ยท What exactly is meant by “Solar Light”?
Solar light, also known as sun tube lighting, sun tunnel lighting, tubular skylights, and light tubes, are tubes composedย of sheet metal with a polishedย interior. Other names for solar tube lighting are sun tube, sun tunnel, and light tube.
The majority of solarlight manufacturers cover the open end of the tube with a weather-resistant plastic dome. The inner end of the tube features a diffuser in the shape of a porthole, which allows light to enter the room. The shiny interior of these windows reflects sunlight both in and out, creating an effective light tunneling effect that can illuminate a room without the use of electrical lighting.
A conventional window skylight can take up to 4.5 feet of space on a roof, whereas the diameter of a solar tube lighting system can range anywhere from 10 to 14 inches. As a result, a solar tube lighting system requires a significantly smaller amount of area.
ยท In what ways is the use of solar light beneficial?
In comparisonย to electric lighting and skylights designed like windows, solar lightย installedย in dwellings offer a variety of advantages. Let’s get over them as quickly as possible:
1. Decreases the Monthly Cost of Electricity
One of the major advantages of utilizing solatube lighting is the elimination of the requirement for using electrical lights during daylight hours. Because of how effectively it brings sunshine into the room. It can function as an alternative to an electric lamp, providing the same level of illumination while saving you money on your monthly electricity bill.
2. Allows for the Admission of Natural Light
Installing solarย lightย that powersย solatube allows natural light from the sun to enter your home. You will have the opportunity to take advantage of the sun’s many perks. These benefits include an increased generation of vitamin D in your skin. As well as an improvedย amount of melatonin in your body, both of which can assist you in getting a more restful night’s sleep.
3. Requires a Less Extensive Amount of Roof Space
Solarlight takes up a lot less room than traditional skylights that are made to seem like windows. Because of its interior’s reflecting tube structure, it enables sunshine to enter your home in a manner that is far more effective.
4. Installation that is both speedy and functional
The installation of a solarlightย canย completeย in as little as two hours when performedย by a skilled laborer. Due to the short amount of time requiredย for installation. There is no longer a risk of an extended installation period. Nor is it necessary to perform significant renovation on your roof.
5. A Low Initial Cost to Install
Due to the ease and speed with which solar light can install. You may reduce the amount of money that must be spent on paying personnel for their job. After installation of the solatube lighting, the only additional materials that will need to be purchased are roof sealer and ceiling sealant at the most. There is also a very low likelihood of there being any kind of leak caused by the solarlight.
ยท What are some of the drawbacks of using solar tubes as a source of light?
Solar tube illumination has a number of advantages, but it also has a number of disadvantages.
These disadvantages include: Let’s talk about a few of these, shall we?
1. Completely and Utterly Reliant on the Climate
The dependence of solatube lighting on the sun and, by extension. The weather is one of the most evident disadvantages of this type of illumination. Without a doubt, your solar light will function at its utmost effectiveness on days when the weather is clear and sunny. However, there is not much you can do when the sky is overcast and it is raining.
2. A Failure to Control the Lighting
The lack of any kind of control over the lighting produced by solar tubes is another disadvantage associated with their use. There is no switch that can use to turn the light off or adjust the level of brightness it emits. The installation of a dimming kit, which will cost you some additional cash to install, is the greatest option to the lack of control that you currently have.
3. Must Have Direct Access to the Roof
Solarlight can only install in a space that has unobstructed access to the roof. This brings us to the next disadvantage of using this type of illumination. If you own a home with two levels. You could only put it on the uppermost level of the second story.
4. There is no view of the sky
The night sky cannot be seen using solar light in the same way that it can through a conventional window skylight. One of the disadvantages of solatube lighting is that it does not provide a view of the sky, which is one reason why homeowners opt to utilize window skylights instead.