So a lot of ideas get thrown around by other people in my business as to why you should put tubular skylights (or regular skylights) into your home. The manufacturers tout how environmental friendly their products are, and when properly placed generally I agree. However, a lot of money is changing hands putting tubular skylights into homes that will provide very little benefit to the homeowner.

As I like to do on Sundays. and most other days for that matter, I was reading several websites when I came across the title question. Michael Polan (free registration required) seems to think that the reasons that we are not bothering to do anything are three fold.

I have been receiving an increasing number of inquiries about solar power installations in the past few months. Although this is encouraging, and I always like seeing PV panels on rooftops when I am out and about, I feel like not enough attention is being paid to addressing the bigger problem.

Condensation is an issue that I have noticed occurs in about 20% of tubular skylights in the Midwest. I have spent plenty of time trying to figure out how to remedy it only to be repeatedly frustrated. I am going to avoid giving you a science lesson here, but I will try to explain as best as possible how condensation occurs and how the products that I use prevent it from becoming a greater issue in your home.

Nearly every prospective customer that I talk to asks a question about it. It is an issue that I go to great lengths to avoid. It is a problem that no skylight owner wants to deal with...

 

What happens when you wake up after a stormy night and find a leaking skylight.  

 

Luckily, my most common complaints are that tubular skylights are either too bright for a room, or that the light is too "white." Thankfully, neither one of these problems are that serious and have some fairly simple remedies - or we can go all high tech and introduce some full-on electified natural light controls into your system.