Tubular Skylight

[Kenton H. Shepard, CMI]

Here's what I got back from solatube...

Solatube does not recommend insulating the tube in the majority of cases - unless dictated by local building codes (I believe there is a mandate in Oregon). Condensation inside the tube can occur if warm, moist air from the living space enters into the tube, rises to the top of the dome, and when the outside temperate is an extreme opposite, condensate can form in the dome. Our new design that was introduced in Dec. 2006 has an airtight ceil at the diffuser level to minimize air infiltration into the tube. If it were to occur, however, the Solatube dome is designed to whisk any condensation along the inside of the dome to the dome ring, which has a moisture relief channel to hold and relieve the water from the system. The moisture control system in the dome ring will relieve any condensation. When the system is installed per our instructions, you should not have condensation.

If there is condensation in the attic, it is most likely the result of the underside of the flashing being exposed in the attic (if the hole is oversized for any reason). If the flashing is cold, and there is warm air in the attic that rises and hits the flashing, condensation could form on the underside of the flashing and drip down into the attic (or along the outside surface of the tube). The way to prevent this is to use the Solatube Flashing Insulator.

As far as heat loss and Energy Star rating, (which is a concern for northern climates) we meet the standards set forth for how much heat is lost from the interior area through the system.