Pros of tubular skylights (solar tubes, sun tunnel rooflights)

Tubular skylights are an af-fordable alternative to traditional skylights. Like conventional skylights, tubular skylights are installed through the roof of your home. As their name suggests, tubular skylights are

essentially a tilted tube designed to capture maximum sunlight with minimum UV rays. At the top of the tube is a reflective material (e.g. a mirror). Light is reflected from the mirror down the tube and into the home.

Because of their unique angle, tubular skylights deliver a consistent amount of light regardless of the position of the sun in the sky. The result is a consistently lit room without glare and dark spots.

At a fraction of the price of their conventional counterparts, tubular skylights are an efficient and sustainable

source of light. To future cut costs, most tubular skylights are equipped with electrical light as well for nighttime use.

Tubular skylights are an ex-cellent way of utilizing natural light. You should also know that most states offer partial reimbursements for purchasing tubular skylights, thereby future cutting costs of purchase and installation.

There was a time when my family and I truly treasured our wood-burning stove. It was a good companion that reliably churned out some darn good heat. The long, gray winter days evolved into cozy nights sitting by the wood-burning stove. But these fixtures aren't exactly environmentally friendly, we decided to get rid of the stove.

Spurred on by the giant gaping chasm left in our ceiling from the stovepipe, we began looking for other op-tions. We fancy ourselves more on the environmental side, so we decided to install a sun tunnel . From the ease of installation to the long list of benefits, a sun tunnel can add a unique dimension of eco-friendly décor to your home.

Placed in a hallway, kitchen, or walk-in closet (or a family room!) where light can be scarce, a sun tunnel eliminates the need to turn on a light by providing indirect, diffused sunlight.

Natural light not only cuts down on the amount of artificial light in a room, but it can also help boost energy levels. And who doesn't love natural light bathing a living space? It lifts your mood, eases eye strain and illu-minates the room—not to mention saves money on your energy bill.

Some other benefits of a sun tunnel include:

Easy installation: They easily fit between rafters in the attic. On average, it takes less than two hours to install one, and it's definitely a DIY-friendly job. Ours was super simple to install—especially since we already had the hole leading from our ceiling clear to the roof.

Versatility: Sun tunnels can fit where standard skylights can't, and they're about a third of the cost of your typical skylight. They're also designed for shingle or shake roofs with pitches from 15 to 60 degrees. Tile roofs that require a sun tunnel can be special ordered.

Eco-friendly: Thorough testing indicates that there is no identifiable heat gain or loss with the sun tunnel.

Tax credit: Because sun tunnels are ENERGY Star-rated, you can qualify to receive a tax credit by installing one before Dec. 31, 2010.

Burglar proof: When that rail-thin, would-be intruder scampers onto your roof to try to burgle your home by dropping down through the sun tunnel, you'll still be safe.

With a steady stream of natural light being fed into our family room, we use our lighting much less than we used to, and the type of light is much easier on the eyes and spirit. They add an open and airy feel to any room and we don't miss that wood burning stove one bit.