Everything you need to know about sun tunnels/light tubes
Posted by Lawrie Fraser on 1st February 2023
A Sun Tunnel/Light Tube can transform your home from a dark and gloomy, enclosed space to a light sanctuary promoting a healthier home and a healthier mind. So, let's get into it. Here is our full 360 guide on everything Sun Tunnels.
When it comes to adding extra daylight and improvements to your home, we understand it can be incredibly stressful and that’s why we are here. Sun Tunnels otherwise known as light tubes are an ideal, bank account friendly method to open up, bedrooms, hallways and even bathrooms which do not have a pitched or flat roof window directly accessible.
Being home to both trade and retail customer. We understand this may be a slight blank spot for some of our customers. So, we have carefully constructed a 360 guide to help you understand why our range of Sun Tunnels are perfect for your home.
So, what is a Sun Tunnel?
Sun Tunnels are highly reflective tubes that transport light via an opening in your attic roof to the room below. Sun Tunnels – Sometimes known as Sun Tubes, Light Pipes or Light tubes – have the ability to not only add light to your home with natural daylight, but also add a modernised light and open appearance to your home.
With a sun tunnel opening up smaller, more confided areas of your home makes the uninhabitable. Inhabitable. Increasing healthy living spaces and even your homes market value.
We have a range of pitched roof rigid sun tunnels, pitched roof flexible sun tunnels and flat roof sun tunnels to suit every project.
What different sun tunnel variations are there and who can use them?
For all pitched roof/sloping roof sun tunnels, you can purchase them in their flexible or rigid. Each variation has its own benefits and depending on your home. You may have to go with the flexible.
Flexible sun tunnels come with a flexible reflective tube to pivot around obstructions or unmoveable items in your attic. The flexible sun tunnel usually comes in cheaper than the rigid sun tunnel. However, due to its difference in material and pivotable tube, they usually produce less light within your home as the rigid sun tunnel maximises daylight with more light bouncing off the surface of the ridged tube.
Rigid sun tunnels come with a solid tube which goes straight down from the attic roof to the attic floor (room ceiling). The rigid cannot pivot around unobstructive items or move to the conditions of your home. Rigid sun tunnels can be bought with extension pieces to increase the reach of your new natural daylight.
However, the benefits of the rigid sun tunnels are extraordinary. They can provide up to 20m of light distribution, depending on the project. As well has offering more general daylight than the flexible sun tunnel.
Flat roof sun tunnels
Available in rigid or flexible to ensure product diversity to fit every project.
Flexible Flat Roof Sun Tunnel These sun tunnels have been designed for spaces which are 0.2m – 0.9m between the roof and the ceiling. The easy-to-assemble, super reflective flexible tunnel has a diameter of 35cm. It also comes with an easy-to-assemble diffuser which comes complete with a polycarbonate insulating frame. The flexible flat roof sun tunnel comes with a PVC kerb and a polycarbonate dome giving an attractive finish.
Rigid Flat Roof Sun Tunnel The VELUX rigid flat roof sun tunnels have been designed for spaces which are 0.8 – 6m between the roof and the ceiling. The rigid sun tunnel is a 1.7m long rigid tunnel and is supplied with 2 x 45° bends to create a sturdy daylight system which will ensure adequate daylight levels. Coming in a super reflective coating, the sun tunnel provides a 98% internal reflection rate and comes with a PVC Kerb and acrylic dome.
What roofs are sun tunnels suitable for?
Sun tunnels are suitable for both flat roof windows and pitched roof windows. Flat roof sun tunnels are suitable for roof pitches between 0-15 degrees. You still need to flash in and around the kerb with onsite flashing to ensure a weathertight seal between the roof and sun tunnel.
Pitched roof sun tunnels are suitable for roof pitched between for Roof Pitches between 15º and 60º. They are suitable tiles up to 120mm thick or slate up to 8mm thick.
We recommend having your sun tunnel south facing for ultimate daylight. South facing sun tunnels see the longest sun light meaning brighter and longer periods of natural daylight in your home.
However, sun tunnels on a pitched roof or flat roof will still see more light than a standard lightbulb for a healthier, happier and greater energy efficient home.
How will it affect me as well as my home?
Direct natural daylight has a variation of different benefits. Including better physically and mental wellness as well as a boost in bodily functions. You can read all our benefits of daylight here.
Not only will your body, mind, and home reek the benefits of a sun tunnel, your bank account will too. With natural light use of artificial light will be minimised. With an energy bill improvement instantly.
What sun tunnel do I need?
How many sun tunnels is decision to be made by you. There is no correct or incorrect answer. How we advise, checking with your installer how many your room can support. Analyse your budget and see what it allows, always be sure to check our best price promise.
The more sun tunnels, either flat or pitched. You will see greater results.
If your roof can only support one for a small, confined space. If the project allows. We would recommend purchasing the biggest size for better results.
To understand which sun tunnel is best for your room here is our quick easy guide.
| Sun Tunnel size | Room size | Suitable rooms |
| 10 Inches | 4-10m² | Small rooms and hallways |
| 14 Inches | 11-15m² | Large rooms |
What is the warranty on a VELUX sun tunnel?
All VELUX sun tunnels, and roof windows come with a 10-year warranty.
So, we know sometimes that can be an information overload. So, here is a simple breakdown!
Velux flat roof sun tunnel.
The VELUX Flat Roof Sun Tunnels are the ideal solution for bringing in natural daylight into places you never thought possible.
- Perfect for into hallways, bathrooms, cupboards, and stairwells, where installation of a VELUX roof window is not possible.
- For roof pitches between 0° and 15°.
- Choose from a rigid or flexible sun tunnel.
- Easy to install .
The VELUX Flat Roof Sun Tunnel introduces light to naturally dark areas and provide installation flexibility.
Ideal for windowless bathrooms, hallways, cupboards, and stairwells where you thought natural daylight could never be possible. The VELUX Flat Roof Sun Tunnels are only suitable for roof pitches between 0°-15° and come in both a flexible tunnel and a rigid tunnel. For that extra peace of mind, the sun tunnel’s both also come with the VELUX 10-year guarantee.
Flexible Flat Roof Sun Tunnel
These sun tunnels have been designed for spaces which are 0.2m – 0.9m between the roof and the ceiling. The easy-to-assemble, super reflective flexible tunnel has a diameter of 35cm. It also comes with an easy-to-assemble diffuser which comes complete with a polycarbonate insulating frame. The flexible flat roof sun tunnel comes with a PVC kerb and a polycarbonate dome giving an attractive finish.
Rigid Flat Roof Sun Tunnel
The VELUX rigid flat roof sun tunnels have designed for spaces which are 0.8-6m between the roof and the ceiling. The rigid sun tunnel is a 1.7m long rigid tunnel and is supplied with 2x 45 degree bends to create a sturdy daylight system which will ensure adequate daylight levels. Coming in a super reflective coating, the sun tunnel provides a 98% internal reflection rate and comes with a PVC Kerb and acrylic dome.
PLEASE NOTE: You still need to flash in and around the kerb with onsite flashing to ensure a weathertight seal between the roof and sun tunnel.
VELUX Flexible Sun Tunnel
The VELUX Flexible Sun Tunnel lets you bring light into dark areas of your home you never thought possible.
- Comes in 14” in diameter and is 2 meters long.
- Suitable for slate up to 8mm thick or tiles up to 120mm in profile
- Easy to install.
- Comes complete with integral flashing.
Room with no window? Bathroom in darkness? Dark corridors? Shady corners? You can bring light into these dark areas of your home with a VELUX Flexible Sun Tunnel!
The VELUX Flexible Sun Tunnel comes in one size of 14” and is suitable for a roof pitch between 15º and 60º. It is the ideal solution for roof space where the path between roof and ceiling may be populated with obstructions including joists, soil pipes, water pipes, heating pipes and water tanks. The VELUX Flexible light tunnel is easy to install and comes with its own integrated flashing that can be specified for slates up to 8mm thick or tiles up to 120mm in profile.
Features & Benefits:
- Easy to install and includes integral flashing.
- Accompanied by the peace of mind with a 10-year VELUX guarantee.
- Energy saving – the need to use lights during the day will diminish considerably.
- Fit perfectly on to the roof, with excellent internal fittings which fit neatly into the ceiling of any room.
- If your roof space has any obstacles in the path of the sun tube, then the Flexible Sun Tunnel is the option for you!
VELUX Rigid Sun Tunnel
Solve the problem of dark corners in your property such as corridors, bathrooms, store cupboards and even box rooms with the VELUX Sun Tunnel - Rigid.
- Comes in two different sizes – 10” or 14” in diameter.
- 1.7 meters of tubing included.
- Suitable for tiles up to 120mm thick or slate up to 8mm thick.
- Easy to install and comes complete with integral flashing.
Flood in the natural light into areas of your home you never thought was possible with a VELUX Rigid Sun Tunnel!
Also known as sun tubes, sun pipes, and light tunnels, the VELUX Rigid Sun Tunnel come in two sizes, 10” and 14”, is easy to install and comes with its own integrated flashing that can be specified for slates or tiles. It is recommended for a tunnel length of 0.9m to 6.0m. Supplied with this kit is 1.7m of tunnel and additional length can be made up by using the ZTR extension sections. The Rigid Sun Tunnel is ideal for use where there are no obstacles in the roof space such as joists, water tanks and other obstructions in the path of the pipe. Putting a light tubes in your roof can add so many benefits to your home. You can find out more by reading our sun tunnel FAQ's here.
Features & Benefits:
- For Roof Pitches between 15º and 60º.
- When installed in areas where there is little natural light, a VELUX Sun Tunnel is likely to give more illumination than a light bulb!
- Comes with peace of mind with the VELUX 10-year guarantee.
- Energy Saving – the need to use lights during the day will diminish considerably.