Solatube thru inaccessible attic space

[David Meiland]

Potential customer called me and asked for a price to install a couple of Solatube skylights from an upstairs bathroom thru a steep cedar shake roof. The space above the ceiling and below the roof is inaccessible, although it appears large enough to at least crawl in, if there were access. I am assuming the insulation is on top of the ceiling and the attic is cold during winter. From what I can tell, the units themselves can be installed entirely from above and below, without access to the space, but what concerns me is the potential for condensation inside the tube since it won't be possible to wrap it with insulation. Quick googling shows plenty of satisfied users and plenty with problems. Average temps during the winter here are high 30s to mid 40s, with occasional dips into the teens or lower. Opinions?

[tjbnwi]

David,

The ones I have installed have a lower diffuser, this will help keep shower moisture out.

I never check to temperature inside the tube, I wonder if solar gain is enough during the day to prevent the condensation?

Could you "pile up" enough insulation around the cut hole then insert the pipe to alleviate the insulation concern.

Yes they can be installed without attic access.

I have also installed the optional lights in the tubes, the work well, but the dome is like a beacon at night.

Tj

[David Meiland]

I assume the attic insulation is FG batts and that there won't be much chance to manipulate it. AFAIK the ceiling hole is 10" dia. There is a bedroom where an access door could be created high in a wall. I guess worst case is it condenses and drips, and I make access to go in there and insulate it. The owner is well aware that I'm concerned about this but try telling that to the judge.

[Greg Di]

I would make a circular insulation sleeve that's rigid enough to stand up on its own and then route (shove) the tube through it on the way to the roof. Even if you get a 24" batt on edge, thats 2' of insulation around the bottom of the tube.

How much tube are you running?

[Dancing Dan]

Have you tried Velux tech support?

[PeteOfTheNorth]

I think the solatube is an interesting product, but there's nowhere locally to buy one. Rather than lean on my suppliers to establish a dealership, I had a dialogue with a solatube 'business development manager' a while ago. I was thinking of adding them to my offerings to add vertical growth. The only way they would do business with me, as an installer, was to sell me a display, startup kit, and beginning inventory. I would have to market, sell, and install, drive a 'solatube' branded vehicle while wearing 'solatube' uniforms.

a memorable quote from an email:

you can reasonably expect gross annual revenues to approximate $9,844 $14,766 and $19,688 for years one, two and three respectively.

That's not going to buy a new install van.

It seems like you guys have experience with the product. Are they profitable to install? I won't go their dealership route, but I might be able to push my supplier into it. Is anyone listing an 'installed' price?

[David Meiland]

Hard to imagine an installed price for a product like this. We're going to do two in one spot, very steep roof that will take scaffolding and ladders to access safely, we'll be un-installing and re-installing the existing shakes to avoid putting a "new" spot on the roof, etc. Two men for a day if we're lucky. Compared to that I could put one in my own house in about 5 minutes.

[dcross]

I have install 100's of Solatubes. Have never had a problem with condensation. I have to say I have never done one on a cedar shake roof. Not too many of them around here. If I had a situation with no attic access I would remove shingles where the tube would go and cut out plywood to look in and make sure there were no obstructions, wires etc. I could install a tube myself in 1-1/2 to 2 hrs on a walkable shingle roof. I think you are good with two men one day for your job.

[tomthetoolman40]

Here's a FWIW idea that came to me. I haven't installed the solatubes so maybe this would work, maybe it wouldn't. Take it or leave it.

I'm thinking of the flexible heating ducting with the f/g insulation built in around it. Maybe you can attach wires or twine to it. Anchor the bottom down. Fit your tube through it. Then pull the wires from above to pull it up around the tube, and anchor it to the sheathing to hold it up.

[David Meiland]

Did this job today, since we had a break in the weather after a month+ of almost daily rain. I went down to the job a while back and made a 5" exploratory hole in the ceiling, just big enough to look thru and put a hand thru. I could see the ridge beam and a nearby rafter close to the tube path but they seemed to be just barely out of the way. The attic turned out to be less than 3' tall at the ridge and jammed with unfaced fiberglass, so we stripped an area of shakes about 4' wide so that I could cut the tube hole in one rafter bay and cut out the sheathing in the adjacent bay in order to reach in and put things together. Getting set up on the roof was a real pain. We set up scaffolding next to the eave so we could step level onto the roof, and then jury-rigged a chicken ladder and a plank to work from. All of the joints in the tube sections have to be screwed and taped, so I don't see how you could do one of these without access of some sort, and believe me it was not fun going headfirst down thru a hole to put the thing together. In the end it worked out and if there's a more difficult install scenario for one of these I don't know what it would be. It took two guys an entire day to do this, not including the advance time I spent. The same thing with easy attic access and a walkable roof would take maybe a third of that time. I hope he likes it.

[always-learning]

David,

I'm assuming that you have this posted on U-tube, right?


No sense going through all that work, pain and suffering unless you could share it with others.

[David Meiland]

Chuck, I know I'm dumb enough to take the job and actually do it, but I'm not going to make a movie of it. I shot maybe 3 pictures, the camera's out in the truck. The rest of the time I concentrated on not falling off the roof onto the stone patio.