How To: Install a tubular skylight

A tubular skylight is a fast and inexpensive way to bring natural light into your house. The tubular skylight has three parts a dome, reflective tubing, and a diffuser. First locate the ceiling joists in the area that you would like to install the skylight and mark them with tape. Make sure you stay in between the joints. Once you have the spot marked off with tape drill an exploratory hole through the ceiling into the attic. Shine a flash light through the hole up into the attic and onto the roof. Drill a hole in the center of that flashlight spot up through the roof. Up on the roof use the flashing to outline the hole that you have to cut out. Use a reciprocating saw to cut the hole out. Cut off any roofing nails that are in the way so that the flashing will fit under the shingles. Install the flashing and then attach the dome to the flashing. Back inside cut a hole in the ceiling and install the reflective tubing. Push the tubing up into the ceiling until it connects with the dome in the roof. Secure it to the ceiling and then install the diffuser and you are all done. A tubular skylight is easy to install and gives you a nice soft light in the room.