Solatube?

[cla]

Does anyone have any experience with Solatube tunnel skylights? I have been doing some research b/c I’d like to put one in my kitchen, but there isn’t a showroom in the Houston metro area. I’d have to travel to Austin or San Antonio to find a showroom to see the product in use.

There is also Velux Sun Tunnels, but I’d really prefer the Solatube – it has a dimmer system that allows you to control the amount of light coming into the room.

Thanks for any experiences that you are able to share!

[jgs1419]

There used to be a solatube dealer in town but they left the market about a year or two ago. I have installed a number of them on different projects with good success. Not having a dealer in town is an issue. We had one leak on a project due to a manufacturers defect and getting it serviced/replaced was a time consuming pain in the rear.

Personally, I think Velux has a higher quality product. The guy that owns/installs Velux products in Houston, Dan Marshall is a first class guy. I think his company name is Innovative Skylights or something like that.

[mlink]

Does anyone have any experience with Solatube tunnel skylights? I have been doing some research b/c I

[Heights2Bastrop]

mlink, I am going to the Austin Home Show tomorrow, and I don't see your company listed as an exhibitor.

[AnnH]

Actually, there have been 8 or 10 Solatube dealers in the Houston area over the years, and no one can seem to make a go of it. Solatube has left countless homeowners with shoddy installations and no warranty, and then just left town.

If I'm going to have a hole cut in my roof, I want it done by one I can trust, who will be here if there's ever a problem. Not somebody who will be here this year, and gone next year.

And it may be true that Solatube's the brightest - but that's not always a good thing. The basic product has an intrinsic glare problem, and if you want to control the glare, you have to pay extra for add-on features, like dimmers or special diffusers. Also, the lining on the tube starts to peel in a few years. Velux SunTunnel doesn't have that problem, because it's not laminated on, it's polished.

Edited February 26, 2009 by AnnH

[Ag72gt73]

Solatube was the inventor of tubular sky lighting. Velux is a copycat product using first generation product. Solatube retains the patent on their product which has the best quantity, quality and consistency of daylight. It is used by many schools in the greater Houston area because it's the only product that meets their specs.

Solatube does not leak and does not delaminate. Total BS. I have 5 of them and been thru 2 hurricanes including a mile from the eye of Ike and never had a drip. These were used to light the Olympic gymnastics events in Bejing. Top notch quality.

Daylight Energy Solutions is the Solatube dealer for the greater Houston area - a 100+ mile radius. BTW they also have a hurricane rated unit if you live in the Texas High Wind Zone. And they carry a wide variety of lenses to match decors, something Velux doesn't offer.

Velux makes great classic flat panel skylights but they can't compare with Solatube in the tubular skylights.

Edited April 4, 2012 by Ag72gt73

[samagon]

My parents had some traditional skylights installed in their house, they leaked for about a year, with the installer coming out to ensure they were sealed about 3 times. Finally got them properly sealed and they haven't had a problem since. I'd imagine the products themselves are probably quality, it's more how the install happens.