Home Remodeling: Natural light might be answer for dark closet
January 1, 2008
By Kathy Maynard
Special To The Sacramento Bee
Q: We have a large walk-in closet off our master bathroom where we keep all our clothes and, since my husband and I often work different schedules, we can dress without disturbing each other. Unfortunately, it has a single fluorescent light fixture that makes it hard to see into the drawers or distinguish between some colors like black and navy blue. How could we add more lighting to that area without too much expense or disruption?
– Susan Jackson Carmichael
A: “Why not add a Solatube Daylighting System to capture sunlight on the rooftop and redirect it down a reflective tube into your closet to allow you to dress by bright natural white light during the day?” suggests Stacy Graham, owner of JMJ Natural Lighting, a retail store in Rancho Cordova since 1994.
“You can install a new Solatube or replace an existing ceiling light fixture with an add-on light kit for use in the evening. You could even add a ventilation kit to help circulate the air and eliminate that stuffiness you can get in closets.”
Solatubes produce much more light for their size than traditional skylights, he says. They are also much quicker and easier to install because they require no structural reframing, tunneling, drywalling or painting, and may also be installed in rooms without attic access. The tubes are lined with a highly reflective material.
Solatube makes two sizes for residential use. The 10-inch model lights up 12 to 14 feet in diameter and is ideal for hallways, bathrooms, closets and laundry rooms. The 14-inch model lights up 16 to 18 feet in diameter and is usually installed in kitchens, dining rooms, living areas and great rooms, often in multiples in larger areas.
Optional features include light add-on kits, ventilation units for the 10-inch size, various filters and diffusers to affect the way light shines into a room, and even a dimmer to regulate the amount of light that enters a room. Solatubes can be installed on any type of roof.
Solatubes are less expensive than regular skylights. Prices vary according to the size of the Solatube, roof type, optional features and the length of tubing required.
Solatubes are considered “green” and have an Energy Star energy-efficiency rating because they reduce energy bills and environmental pollution by allowing you to leave your lights off during the day, Graham says. Many case studies also show that increased exposure to natural light can improve mood, energy levels, productivity and the ability to concentrate.
“Often people install one in a dark bathroom or hallway, and they like it so much they find other locations for Solatubes in their home,” he says.
Jan Wagstaff says that after having Solatubes installed in two bathrooms and the laundry room in her Davis home, she eventually added eight more.
“It’s a Streng house, and though we really love the design, it was so dark that it felt claustrophobic,” she says. “We couldn’t believe the difference. They light up the whole room and make the space seem bigger and cheerier and feel a whole lot better.”
If you are remodeling, Graham says, it is a good idea to install the Solatube first so you are working with bright natural light when choosing your colors and décor.
“We’ve had many people who had new paint or tile work done in their bathrooms before installing a Solatube. Then there was so much more light that they could see mistakes in the previous work and had to call their painter or tile setter back out to do touch-ups,” he says.
Paul and Kristin Zeman decided to have several Solatubes installed at the same time their house was being reroofed last summer by BEA Roofing after seeing how dramatically they transformed a friend’s kitchen.
“It was absolutely beautiful, and so bright I actually thought the lights were on,” she says. “My friend turned me on to the idea because our house faces toward the backyard where there are lots of trees and it was very dark.”
They chose 10-inch Solatubes for the bathroom and family room, a 10-inch tube with a light kit for the laundry room so she can work in there at night, and a 14-inch Solatube with a light kit and dimmer for Paul’s office.
“He practically lives in his office, so he wanted to be able to shut it down and make it darker during lunch or to have his music on,” Kristin Zeman says. “They made a huge difference, especially in the family room even though we had already put glass doors in there. Now I don’t feel like I have to turn on the lights as I run through the rooms to see what I am doing. I absolutely love them.”
