Do you have a multi-storey home? How about one that doesn’t see much natural light during the day? If one or both of these apply to you, you may have wondered if it’s possible to get more natural light on your first floor. Traditionally when you think of skylights you think of them being installed on the roof of a home, so wouldn’t that mean the first floor is off the cards? Not necessarily!
This article explores whether Solatube skylights can be installed on the first floor of a home or business. For personalised advice, contact our team at Skylights WA today.
What Is Solatube?
Solatube is a brand of solar tubes, which are light fixtures that utilise the power of the sun. The end result is similar to that of skylights— a lighter and brighter area— but the way they go about this is through a tube rather than directly.
How Does Solatube Work?
A solar tube is a hollow cylinder made from reflective material. It acts like a mirror to capture sunlight that comes in through an acrylic dome in the ceiling and reflects it onto the interior of the tube. It then reaches the interior of the home or building to provide evenly distributed light to areas that may not have seen much sunlight before.
Can Solatube Be Installed On The First Floor?
As Solatube depends on the natural light from the sun to increase the brightness of a room, it seems to make sense to most people that it can only be installed on the top floor. However, you can have a light and sun-filled room on the first floor thanks to Solatube’s technology.
As a solar tube is essentially a tube that carries solar energy such as light from place to place, this doesn’t have to be as straightforward as a direct line from Point A to Point B. The use of a tube means that you can direct the sunlight to where you want and need it, even in rooms not on the top floor.
Installing Solatube on the first floor is certainly a possibility. This means that the tube will need to pass from the roof, through the upper floor, and into the first floor. However, this doesn’t mean you’ll have a view of a tube running through your living areas! You won’t need to navigate around it as it’s as simple as installing the tubing somewhere inconspicuous, such as through a closet or existing chase. You could also install Solatube to run along a corner of two walls, and enclose that area with drywall so that nobody is none the wiser. Solatube is not designed to run through walls. For longer distances a Solatube 290 DS may be the best option.
Solatube allows you to see natural light on the first floor of your home due to its tube technology. Skylights, on the other hand, can’t bring light to the first floor as they don’t use a tube and can only be installed exactly where you want the natural light to shine.
Will Solatube Work For Your Home?
There is no minimum distance a Solatube needs to be, but there are maximum limits. Depending on the system you choose, you can have a Solatube between six and 12 metres long. This is important to keep in mind when considering having Solatube installed on the first floor.
Considering Solatube For Your Home?
It is certainly possible to have Solatube installed on the first floor to make it as light-filled as you always wished it were. At Skylights WA we can help your home become your light and bright sanctuary, including for your first floor! To get started on your Solatube journey, contact us for a free consultation.