![]() Typical tubular skylight components include a high-impact acrylic dome, which locks into a ring on the 1100-O aluminum flashing this seals to a flat or pitched rooftop, protecting against rain and cracking. ![]() The components for the Elite product are made in the same location. The parent manufacturing company, Southwest Metal Spinning, was founded 26 years ago by Estrada’s father, Saul, and brother, Juan. In 2001, the company began offering high-quality residential and commercial tubular skylights, solar-powered attic fans and garage exhaust fans. Recently, Estrada’s team installed six tubular skylights and solar-powered attic fans on a 3,900-square-foot two-story home built in 2009 with cement tiles in Gilbert, Arizona. In the desert Southwest, cement or clay tiles on pitched rooftops are a popular choice by owners of upscale homes. “They can be retrofitted into any existing roof system and placed where windows or traditional skylights are not options.” “Tubular skylights allow natural light in to brighten rooms and offices during the day without the need for an electrical light source,” explains Jovane Estrada, general manager for Elite Solar Lighting & Fans, based in Chandler, Arizona, southeast of Phoenix. Installing tubular skylights, or solar tubes, can add a profit niche for any roofing company and provide a lifestyle enhancement for existing and new clients. ![]() Everything works the same way nowadays.Elite Solar Systems installed six tubular skylights and solar-powered attic fans, incorporating them into the existing tile roof of this 3,900-square-foot Gilbert home. The video below shows a solar skylight installation I did back in 2003. The best have a solar panel that recharges and internal battery for opening and closing the window automatically. If you want even more light than a tubular skylight can deliver (and plenty of fresh air) you might consider an openable skylight. You can learn more about the installation process I followed by clicking the article here. A shiny sheet metal tube extends down from the roof, it travels through a storage area and ends in the round ceiling lens you see in the ceiling. The light you see coming down from the ceiling is entirely natural light. You can see the skylight in action in my kitchen below. Solatube is the brand name of the unit I put in, and I can fault it in any way. The unit I installed also has a built-in light fixture inside the tube that lights up when you turn on the main kitchen lights at night. The installation works very well, there’s never been any condensation and it makes life quite a bit nicer while doing dishes. I installed a tubular skylight in my own home in 2001 to brighten the area above our kitchen sink and I’ve never had any trouble with it. A clear dome on the roof lets light in while also keeping rain out. Tubular skylights are large sheet metal pipes with shiny interior surfaces made to direct sunlight downwards from the roof to rooms below. Some people I’ve heard complain about condensation forming inside during winter, and others say tubular skylights reduce roof insulation.” “What are your thoughts on tubular skylights? You’ve written about them before, but I wonder if you still like them. ![]() They’ve seen it in videos I’ve made or articles I’ve written, and the questions are something like the one below: Every so often I get people asking me about the tubular skylight in our house.
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