The answer is: None, if you’ve installed sun tubes and sun tunnels strategically in your home!

This is exciting news – particularly if want to save money, enjoy a little more natural sunlight (got to get that Vitamin D somehow!), and conserve heat and electricity. Sun tubes and tunnels can make your place look more beautiful and elegant without breaking the bank.

Beyond Electrical Lights – A Path Towards Luminousnes

Sun tubes and sun tunnels offer a different, exciting, stylistic way forward. They bypass problems associated with electrical lights. Here’s how they work. Sunlight pours through a small opening, which gets amplified and reflected into the room. The tubes and tunnels can be small – as small as 10 inches in diameter. But the lambent ambiance is perfect for cramped places, like laundry rooms, closets, hallways and bathrooms.

The tubes/tunnels are also great for “reconnecting” your home with the outdoors. Another plus: they’re relatively inexpensive. Your lighting and energy needs will likely drop, and you can save on both cooling and heating costs, indirectly. So the work should basically pay for itself over the long-term.

Also, let’s face it: there’s something about natural light from the sun that’s both aesthetically and potentially biologically superior to artificial light. You can install tubes and tunnels without revamping the support system of your roof or installing special joists to provide reinforcement.

If you’re interested in learning more about the solar tube or tunnel option for your Bay Area office, condominium, home, or apartment, the team here at Century Roof & Solar can meet your needs. Our Diamond Certified specialists understand solar solutions deeply.

Call us now at 888-233-7548, or learn more at www.centryroofandsolar.com.

Before sun tube

After sun tube

Mistake # 1: Choosing the wrong shape/style.

The most common category is the standard flat style light. These lights generally come in square or rectangular shapes. But you can also find dome skylights, curb mounted lights, and customized shapes and styles. When choosing, most home remodelers only look at one or two aspects… and thus set themselves up to fail. For instance, say you’re just concerned about aesthetics only. So you pick a flat light. But you fail to note the potential for debris from a nearby tree to accumulate on the skylight. Cave in hazard, anyone?

Mistake #2: Failing to note how (or even whether!) the area will get sunlight.

In an ideal world, you want the sun to actually shine through the skylight.

But if you build the skylight at the wrong angle or on the wrong side of a particular room, you will get far less light than you ideally want. Or you might get too much sun! Or sun at the wrong time of day! Or any other number of problems. So you need to pay attention to where and how the sun transits across your home and roof

Mistake #3: Failing to plan to protect against leaks and insulation problems.

If you do your skylight improvement project “DIY,” you can easily make errors that can cost you big time in terms of heat leaching and structural weaknesses. A badly installed skylight is an easy and convenient place for mold, mildew and leaks. What’s frustrating is that your subtle mistakes may only reveal themselves months or years after you finish construction.

To make sure your skylight project goes smoothly – to avoid the subtle mistakes we just talked about that can potentially cost you money, heartache and thousands of dollars – connect with the experienced construction team at Century Roof & Solar.

Call us toll free at 888-233-7548 to get immediate help with your Bay Area skylight construction project.

Skylights and so-called “sun tubes” are becoming increasingly popular – not just among cutting-edge architects but also among “rank and file” building designers and homeowners.  What’s changed about our collective attitude towards these features?
1. First of all, skylights and sun tubes can help you save on electricity bills.
In an “up” economy, saving a few bucks a month on your power bill might not seem like much.  But in today’s troubled economy, homeowners and small businesses are turning over every rock to look for innovative ways to save. When you get natural sunlight through a skylight or sun tube to light up your kitchen, bathroom, rec room, or other area, you don’t need to keep flipping on and off the electricity.
2. Aesthetics.
Let’s face it.  A properly installed, “feng shui” engineered skylight can work wonders for a room.  Skylights are a lot more attractive than florescent overhead lights, for instance, and human beings have a biological craving for natural sunlight.
3. Airtight installations.
New technology and innovative installation techniques have resolved problems (leaks and loss of heat/cool air) that once plagued the skylight and sun tube industry.  A qualified and reputable company, such as CenturyRoof and Solar, can install airtight and leak-proof lights easily.
4. Remote control openings.
One possible downside to some skylights is that they must be cranked open and closed by hand.  This might not seem like to big of deal but if you are elderly, have a disability, or someone who might use the feature on a regular basis– a manually operated sunlight can be somewhat frustrating to use.  Fortunately, new technologies have solved this problem – many skylights can be cranked open via remote control now, nice for convenience and nice for show feature.
5. Vitamin D.
Compelling scientific research now suggests that many Americans suffer from vitamin D deficiency – a condition that’s associated with lack of natural sunlight.  By allowing more natural light into your home, you may be able to indulge (carefully!) in the sun’s natural rays and boost your vitamin D levels.
If you would like a personalized consultation regarding your skylight and sun tube needs, talk to the Bay Area leaders in roof systems, Century Roof and Solar.  Learn more at www.centuryrooftile.com or call 888-233-7548 for a free roofing/skylight sun tube quote.

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