Solar Tubes & Skylights: Daylight Without the Leaks
Natural light makes a home feel bigger and brighter. The worry is a leak. MTL installs both solar tubes and skylights across Central Texas, and helps homeowners pick the one that fits the room, the roof and the budget.
What a solar tube is
A solar tube is a small dome on the roof that collects sunlight. Shiny reflective tubes carry that light down through the attic to a round lens in the ceiling, which spreads daylight through the room.
Solar tubes are smaller and easier to install than a skylight, so they fit into more spaces in a house, like hallways, closets, bathrooms and laundry rooms. Because they are smaller and simpler to install, they also cost less.
The trade-off: a solar tube gives you daylight, not a view. You won't look up and see the sky the way you would through a skylight.
A Round Rock home with two new solar tubes
MTL installed two solar tubes on this Round Rock home. From the street they're two small domes on the roof. Inside, each one is a bright round light in the ceiling, powered by the sun.
Swapping a skylight for a solar tube
Several homeowners have asked MTL to remove their skylights, patch the roof, and install solar tubes instead. A solar tube keeps the daylight with a much smaller opening in the roof.
Solar tube or skylight?
| Feature | Solar tube | Skylight |
|---|---|---|
| Size on the roof | Small dome | Large window |
| Light inside | Bright daylight through a round ceiling lens | Daylight plus a view of the sky |
| Where it fits | Hallways, closets, bathrooms, rooms far from the roof | Rooms with a ceiling close to the roof deck |
| Installation | Simpler and faster | More involved |
| Cost | Lower | Higher |
How MTL installs a skylight
When MTL installs a skylight, waterproof membrane wraps the opening before the manufacturer's flashing kit goes on, and the shingles are woven back in around it. Those layers are what keep water out, and they're hidden once the job is done.
The best time to add one
The most cost-effective time to add a solar tube or skylight is during a full roof replacement, when the shingles are already off. MTL also retrofits solar tubes into existing roofs. Whatever works best for the homeowner.
Solar tube and skylight questions
What is the difference between a solar tube and a skylight?
A solar tube is a small roof dome that sends sunlight down a reflective tube to a ceiling lens. A skylight is a window in the roof. Solar tubes give daylight; skylights give daylight and a view of the sky.
Are solar tubes cheaper than skylights?
Yes, usually. They are smaller and easier to install, so they cost less.
Can you replace a skylight with a solar tube?
Yes. MTL removes the skylight, patches the roof and installs a solar tube in its place.
When is the best time to install a solar tube?
During a full roof replacement is the most cost-effective. MTL also installs solar tubes on existing roofs.
Want more daylight in your home?
Serving Austin, Lakeway, Steiner Ranch, Bee Cave, Spanish Oaks, West Lake Hills, Barton Creek, Dripping Springs, Spicewood, Marble Falls, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Georgetown.