Tubular skylight

A tubular skylight, often called a sun tunnel, is a compact daylighting unit with three parts. The first is a clear acrylic dome on the roof that gathers sunlight from the sky. The second is a flexible or rigid tube, usually lined with a highly reflective material, that runs through the attic space. The third is a diffuser, a glass or plastic lens set into the ceiling that spreads the light into the room below.

Because the tube bends and reflects light along its length, the system can deliver daylight into a space without needing a large roof opening or a full light well. That makes it a common choice for hallways, bathrooms, closets, pantries, and other small interior rooms that have no exterior wall for a window. In Citrus County, where many homes are single-story with attic space over the main living area, a sun tunnel is one way to add daylight to an interior room without reworking the floor plan.

The main trade-off is scale. A tubular unit lights a small area well, but it does not replace a large skylight or a window, and its output depends on the sun angle, the length and number of bends in the tube, and the reflectivity of the lining. Installers typically handle the roof flashing and sealing as well as the tube and diffuser, so the roof penetration needs to be watertight.

Homeowners and builders looking for installers can find providers listed under skylight installation in the directory.

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