Solar tunnel –

Sunlight in the home even without windows, with the Velux solar tunnel

L’solar lighting it is an essential aspect to give value, usability and functionality to a room, whether it is a commercial environment that of a residential premises.
Yet, many times the natural light it enters with difficulty and consequently you risk leaving some dark environments to intervene only with the artificial light. To overcome this inconvenience it is good to know that there are solutions and products specifically designed to solve the problem and improve thehabitability and the healthiness environments that normally would not have outlets to the outside.

Solar tunnel to illuminate VELUX home

Specifically, we will talk about how it is possible to bring natural light into the darkest and darkest areas of the house using solar tunnel.
This is in fact the best possible solution for illuminating rooms without windows and where it is impossible to install new ones.

Solar tunnel: advantages and uses

A house with only partially lit areas risks losing value and appeal for its inhabitants or hypothetical future buyers.

We all dream of a house full of lucenaturally illuminated for many hours a day, which brings not only brightness but also heat on the windows and reflected inside the house, allowing us to scrutinize the view or perhaps even look out.

But it’s no secret that places like the hallway, service rooms of the type laundry, walk-in closetcloset or even more serious one or more bathrooms may not have windows. Their absence depends on the fact that it is not really possible to install one, but there is no need to despair because these rooms can literally change their face if you decide to intervene with a suitable product to solve this lack.

VELUX solar tunnel

VELUXa leading company in the production and sale of roof windowsideal in attic rooms, also boasts among its wide range of products the solar tunnelavailable among other things in multiple versions to best adapt to the type of roof. The solar tube it is nothing more than a well of light, which manages to bring natural light into the rooms of the house, making them immediately brighter, more pleasant and more enjoyable to live in, to make the most of all the spaces a house is equipped with, instead of considering the dark places as places of passage to which one can definitively resign oneself.

When we mention i solar tunnels we must think that these light tubes they can be inserted in commercial and industrial contexts as well as in residential and residential areas. Their main advantage lies in solving the problem of blind rooms or poorly lit in an orderly and definitive manner.
Sun tunnels are of two types: for flat roofs and for pitched roofs; Furthermore, there are a series of accessories for each type of tunnel.

But how does this tunnel of light work? Through a a captor which is positioned on the roof, the tunnel collects and brings sunlight from the outside into the previously dimly lit rooms. This happens thanks to a conduit from the fort reflective power which starts from the roof to reach the rooms through tubular skylights.

On an internal page of the site VELUX it is also possible to calculate and discover how much light the installation of these can bring into the rooms solar collectors on the roof of the house. The calculation provides an indicative figure of the amount of light that can actually reach the dark room on which you want to intervene, making the comparison with the light provided by a bulb with a power of 60 watts.

The calculation of performance starts from a first step, i.e. the selection on the map of the city where the dark room to be illuminated with the tunnel is located, then you indicate which room/room you want to intervene on (corridor, bathroom, entrance, walk-in closet, etc.) by entering also dimensions of the venue.
Once this is done, select the type of slope of our roof and the type of roof covering, if we have a pitched one, indicate where it is oriented and finally the length of the solar tunnel.

Once all the points have been filled in, an important result will emerge to provide more precise, non-generic or standard indications, based on the characteristics of our venue.

Solar tubes for pitched roofs and flat roofs

The pitched roof is inclined and characterized by a variable slope ranging from 15 to 60 degrees of slope. For roofs of this type we use solar light tube o solar chimney for pitched roofs, designed specifically to be installed on a inclined surface. If the roof has an even lower inclination, a solar tunnel specifically designed for flat roofs is installed.

The part of the tunnel that is installed on the roof is that of the external collector which will be installed on the surface in a discreet manner, totally integrating with it. They are used fittings normally used also for other types of VELUX roof windows.

Solar tube

It is possible to install the solar tunnel product, smoothly, for an optimal result, in the presence of a path that starts from the roof and ends inside the room to be illuminated. This stretch must be unobstructed and easy. In this way all the natural light conveyed will be able to reach the home without encountering obstacles, in the case of installation in a residential context, and the same applies to environments used for work or commercial use.

The pitched roof tunnel measures 25 cm or 35 cm in diameter, being available in two different sizes. The integrated fitting ensures optimal and discreet installation of the product in the roof, not to mention the light output that will be appreciated once inside the house.
This reaches up to 10 meters, using the connection of which the VELUX solar tunnel he is gifted. The extensionsif necessary, are additional and curved or linear.

The VELUX solar tunnel also exists in the version for installation are flat roofs; in this case the slope will be from 0° to 15°.
Above this slope, a model suitable for a pitched roof will be used, as mentioned above.

The operation always involves the use of a sensor to be placed on the roof on which side the tunnel carries the light it has collected and conveys it into the dark or poorly lit room located inside the building. Externally the sensor is present with a transparent cover shaped acrylic cupola and a high density PVC base.

VELUX solar tunnel

The technical characteristics are a diameter of 35 cm, optimal intervention in a room up to 10 meters, the reminder of the basic kit which includes 170 cm of tunnel with two adjustable curves, two linear elements and a vapor barrier. The internal ceiling light is always white and discreet. The basic kit is for a 9 square meter room.

Additional accessories and kits to increase the functionality of the solar tube

There are many accessories to combine with the basic solar tunnel kit (170 cm which includes the rigid tunnel with two curves adjustable from 0° to 45°, as well as two linear elements and a vapor barrier). The sensor will be installed externally, on the roof. This has a tempered glassits integrated fitting and has been treated to be self-cleaningan important aspect given that it would not be easy to reach the glass to keep it clean.

Internally, the ceiling light It has a sober and discreet white frame, to adapt to any environment.
The proposed kit is used to illuminate a room measuring 9 square meters.

VELUX solar tunnels

The accessories that can be purchased and mounted to complete the VELUX solar tube basic kit are: additional extensions which are needed if the distance from ceiling to roof exceeds 170 cm in height. Two sizes available for extensions, 62 cm (suitable for 10″, 14″ and 22″ tunnels) or 124 cm (this for 14″ VELUX solar tunnels).
If necessary, additional ones can be added to the kit curve and others accessories additional.

VELUX solar tube

Another important aspect always associated with the solar tunnel product is the possibility of allowing, together with the entry of natural light into the home, also the ventilation in the environment where it takes place. This is a second aspect and advantage that the solar tunnel solution offers.

Without invasive interventions or having to drill additional holes in the roof covering, you can equip your tunnel with a adapter for ventilation, a VELUX accessory that will improve the functionality, liveability and healthiness of the domestic or commercial space that can benefit from the installation of the solar tunnel. The adapter connects to the external collector on the roof, using an additional pipe with a diameter of 10 cm.
In the case of a solar tunnel for a pitched or pitched roof, the TWR model is used.

The accessories, as can be seen, serve to enrich the functions and complete the work of the tunnel. We have understood that each solar tunnel, as the term itself suggests, serves to bring sunlight into an internal room, taking it from the outside. But if we want the room to enjoy brightness not only during the hours of the day when it is sunny, but also for the rest of the time, we can use the light kit accessory.
By taking advantage of the hole made to install the tunnel, it is possible to equip it with artificial light provided by a led lamp 4 watts. Thus the opening will bring both natural light and artificial LED lighting as needed, from sunset onwards, throughout the evening hours.

End of article

THE EDITORIAL TEAM RECOMMENDS

IVELUX designers they offer theirs for free support for the phase of design and installation on site, simply request a simple quote, in order to receive support in the study of natural light, with customized solutions, details constructive and the predisposition from the forum.

The company Veluxa company made up of over 100 collaborators, leaders in its sector, present throughout the Italian territory, and beyond, thanks to a net capillary of over 2000 retailers.

This is a fast and steady international working group growth which bases theactivity on the inspiring principles, paying great attention to the environment. THE’installation by VELUX professionals is a guarantee of a service efficient and is accomplished only after making a inspection to view the state of the places and have listened to the need of the client.