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What is A Tubular Daylighting Device (TDD)?

A relatively new form of lighting solution for homes is the Tubular Daylighting Device or TDD, which captures sunlight on the rooftop and redirects it down a reflective tube into interior spaces. The tubing will fit between rafters and will install easily with no structural modification. At the ceiling level, an attractive diffuser spreads the light evenly throughout the room. It provides exceptional lighting. The light output is incredible, providing as much light output as you would expect from a skylight many times its size.

The house I have listed at 3940 Rivendell Ct has one of these devices in the kitchen and it is amazing how much light it puts out. I’ve seen them in two other houses lately. They can turn otherwise dark rooms or hallways into well lit areas. If you have closet space in which to hide the tubes you can even run these to the first floor of a 2-story house or to the basement in a ranch.

Installing one is fast, clean and easy. They require no structural reframing, tunneling, drywalling or painting. A professional can install the product in less than two hours and most Do-It-Yourselfers can finish the project in one day. The compact and flexible design of TDDs allow them to be installed in just about any room, including rooms without direct roof access and smaller spaces where daylighting would usually not be an option. TDDs allow you to switch off electric lights during the day, which provides savings on energy bills and also reduces environmental pollution.

It’s actually good for you, too. It has been shown in several prominent studies that increasing daily exposure to natural light can enhance mental and physical well-being, boost concentration and energy levels and a variety of other unexpected perks.

Tubular Daylighting Devices cost considerably less than other daylighting options, such as windows and skylights, including both product and installation costs and obviously it doesn’t use any electricity, so it is very cost effective, once installed.

These systems work even on cloudy days, albeit with less light output then. Solatube International Inc offers several models for differing room sizes and uses. Solatube Daylighting Systems also offers two available light kit options for their Brighten Up® Series so that the product can also double as a standard lighting fixture, for use at night.

1. Incandescent Light Add-on Kits: The Solatube 160 DS accepts one incandescent lamp up to 100-watt. The Solatube 290 DS accepts two incandescent lamps up to 100-watt. While there is minimal blockage of sunlight when a light kit is used, this can be minimized by using a clear bulb.

2. Compact Fluorescent Light Kit: This kit does not accept standard light bulbs, only special compact fluorescent bulbs with a pronged plug. It is available for users who want a very energy efficient light fixture. This fixture accepts one 26-watt compact fluorescent lamp. One fixture may be used for the Solatube 160 DS. One or two fixtures may be used for the Solatube 290 DS.

The exposed dome on the roof is strong enough to withstand anything that mother nature can throw at it and for a little more you can upgrade to a polycarbonate dome that is practically bulletproof. Check your local building supply stores or with local builders to see if thee is somewhere that you can go to see one of these systems installed. You can visit http://www.solatube.com/ for more information and to search for a local dealer. I think you’ll be impressed with the idea and the simplicity of putting one of these in. If you were planning to do some “green” updating in your home this would be a good project to consider.