What Are Sun Pipes?
Photo by Darren Copley
Sun pipes are an innovative way to “pipe” natural light into buildings. It is not a particularly new idea – ancient Egyptians had elaborate means of conducting sunlight into dwellings and even tombs, using gold as a reflective surface. Such innovations were the exclusive domain of the wealthy and those who dwelt in dry, sun-rich areas. Thus, the technology and techniques were lost to history until the late 1980s and early 1990s, when an American by the name of Loren Miller developed “tubular daylighting devices.”
The tubes begin with a dome on the roof of a structure. A pipe lined with reflective material is then run into the home, ending in a “window” on the ceiling in the structure. Due to their reflective surface inside, sunpipes can take light around corners and from one end of a building to another, even into basements. You can pipe light into your home much the same way as you would pipe water or air.
Do you like natural light in your home? It certainly helps save electricity, and it is a less wasteful form of lighting than disposable light bulbs. If you are considering installing sun pipes, here are some pros and cons, and a brief overview of the installation process.
Pros:
- Lower electric bills
- Less waste in the form of throw-away light bulbs
- Less heat being generated by artificial light
- Mood enhancement (Natural light helps people feel happier and more alert, and is especially helpful for people who suffer from SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder)
- They do not create “hot spots” of sunlight the way skylights do – sun pipes have internal “diffusers” to distribute light more evenly.
Cons:
- They are not easy to install
- Sun pipes can be expensive
It is possible to make sun pipes a DIY project. To install sun pipes, first you have to measure your roof and rafters so that the pipes are evenly spaced (or spaced as you want them). Then, a hole must be drilled in the ceiling below each installation point. You can use a jigsaw for this.
Next, you will need to cut a hole in the roof exactly above the hole in the ceiling. Then, run the tube down through the roof hole and secure it with caulk and weather stripping. The storm collar comes next, once again secured with caulk, followed by the dome itself. Inside, the final step is to attach the diffuser with screws.
For more elaborate sun pipe schemes, such as running pipes down through walls into the basement, around corners, or from one end of a structure to another, you may want to contact a professional installation company. Companies that specialize in green construction are getting more and more common.
