How Sun Tunnels Bring Daylight Where Skylights Can’t
Some rooms are just too far from the roof. An interior bathroom in the middle of a house, a closet under a deep attic, a hallway with ductwork right above it. A full skylight would need a huge shaft. A sun tunnel needs a 10 or 14-inch path.
On the roof, a small clear dome captures sunlight. Below it, a rigid tube lined with a highly reflective specular coating bounces that light down through the attic. At the ceiling, a diffuser spreads it across the room. The result is real daylight in a room that never had a window.
The 6 Dark Toronto Spaces Sun Tunnels Transform
- Interior bathrooms and powder rooms with no exterior wall.
- Walk-in closets where colour matters.
- Upstairs hallways with doors closed on both sides.
- Stairwells in the middle of the house.
- Laundry rooms and pantries.
- Small home offices in converted bedrooms with tiny windows.
Residential Sun Tunnel Installations
Bathrooms
The most common request.
Closets
True colour light.
Hallways
14-inch tubes for longer halls.
Stairwells
Daylight at the landing.
Kitchens With Deep Attics
Supplement under-cabinet lighting.
New Builds
Seaton, Cornell and Harrison interior rooms.
Condo Townhouses
Top-floor interior rooms with board approval.
Commercial Sun Tunnel Installations
Offices
Interior meeting rooms and corridors.
Retail Back-of-House
Stock rooms and staff areas.
Clinics
Interior exam rooms.
Schools
Washrooms and corridors.
Specialty Sun Tunnel Options
10-Inch TGR
Compact spaces.
14-Inch TGR
Larger rooms and halls.
Elbows and Extensions
For complex attic paths.
Light Kits
Optional night lighting in some diffusers.
Low-Slope Flashing
For flatter roofs.
Sun Tunnel Components
| Component | What it does |
|---|---|
| Roof dome | Captures sunlight, sealed with flashing collar |
| Rigid tube | Highly reflective specular lining |
| Elbows | Route the tube around framing and ducts |
| Diffuser | Spreads light evenly in the room |
Our Sun Tunnel Expertise
We trace the attic path on the first visit so there are no surprises. Short, straight rigid runs give the most light, so we plan around ducts and framing to keep it that way.
What Actually Stops Homeowners From Adding a Sun Tunnel
“They don’t give much light.”
In our opinion, that reputation comes from flexible tubes. Rigid Velux TGR tubes are a different story.
“It’ll leak like a skylight.”
It is flashed like a skylight and covered by our flashing warranty.
“It’ll wreck my ceiling.”
Only a small round hole for the diffuser.
“I need a permit.”
Usually not.
Sun Tunnel Timeline
Assessment
Attic path check.
Ordering
About a week.
Install
Half a day.
Done
No drywall finishing needed in most cases.
Sun Tunnel Cost in Toronto: What You Are Paying For
Tube Size
10 or 14 inch.
Tube Length
Longer runs cost more.
Elbows
Each adds a little light loss and cost.
Roof Type
Tile and metal need different flashing.
Diffuser Options
Standard or light kit.
Access
Tight attics take more time.
Sun Tunnel vs Skylight vs Replacement: Which Service You Need
Room right under the roof with space for a shaft: residential skylight installation. Interior room, small space or deep attic: sun tunnel. Existing tired tube: replacement with a rigid TGR.
Fixed, Venting or Solar: Choosing Your Skylight Type
Sun tunnels are fixed daylight only. If you also need ventilation, a venting or solar skylight is the better choice.
Sun Tunnel Timeline in Toronto: What to Expect Week-by-Week
Assessment in week one, delivery in about a week, install in half a day.
Why Toronto Homeowners Choose Our Sun Tunnels
Rigid tubes, proper flashing and a half-day install. We specd the TGR because it simply delivers more light.
