DIY Network

Tubular Skylight: Placement From "Weekend Handyman" episode WKH-402

In this episode of Weekend Handyman, host Paul Ryan begins by determining where to install the skylight within a living room. To avoid valley rafters, he decides to angle the solar tube. Paul drills a screw into the roof of the house to mark the area where a large hole will need to be cut out.

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	Before, this family room was entirely too dark...
	but after a tubular skylight was installed, well, you see the difference!
	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Time: 15 hours over two days.
Difficulty Rating: This project rates a 3 out of 5 on the Weekend Handyman difficulty scale.

Materials:

Safety glasses
Disposable protective coveralls
Work gloves
Skylight kit
Ladder
Electric drill
Keyhole saw
Compass
Reciprocating saw
Hole saw
Coat hanger
Aluminum tape
A wallpaper roller
Roof sealant
Pile seal
Laser level
Utility knife
Tape measure
2-1/2 in. screw
Lumber crayon

Skylight Placement

1. Begin by choosing the location of where you want to install your skylight (figure A).

2. Once the location has been determined, use a wire hanger to poke a small hole through the ceiling drywall, so that it pushes through the attic (figure B). Next, head upstairs to the attic to see where the wire is. Lay plywood down in attic so you don’t put your weight directly on the ceiling (figure C).

3. Once the hanger has been located in the attic, look for any obstructions that may come in the way of the tube. Avoid the valley rafter (figure D), where two planes of roof come together and form a "V" and where water accumulates. Angle the skylight to avoid the valley rafter.

4. Now put a 2-1/2 inch screw into the roof (figure E). This will mark where to cut the hole on the roof.

Figure D

Figure E

RESOURCES :

Tubular Skylight
Brand Name: Solatube
Model Number: 10", 14"
Manufacturer: Solatube International, Inc.
2210 Oak Ridge Dr.
Vista, CA 92081
Contact: Robert Phillips, Marketing Director
Telephone: 1-800-966-7652
Website: www.solatube.com

GUESTS :

Thomas S. Gilbertson, General Manager
Solar Midwest, Inc.
12829 Industrial Park Blvd.
Plymouth, MN 55441
Telephone: 1-763-557-5702
Website: www.solarmidwest.com