Lighting Underground Homes

The reduced area available for installing windows may become a problem when it comes to lightning solutions for underground homes. It goes without saying that regular homes get their natural light from skylights and windows.

However, there are sources of natural light that you can try for underground homes, even though the results may not be more difficult to attain than in the case of regular homes.

Skylights

The benefits of skylights are to provide sunlight and good air circulation. In the case of underground homes, skylights can also be installed with security purposes in mind, as they can be used as emergency exits in the eventuality of other exits being blocked. The major problem of skylights in underground homes is that they lead to considerable heat loss in the winter, while in the summer they radiate plenty of heat. Other inconveniences include hearing the rain and the lack of privacy, unless you decide to use translucent glass.

The good news is that there are plenty of excellent skylights available on the market today and if you choose double-pane constructions, you will be able to minimize heat loss and gain at the same time. If you are worried about your privacy, you can choose one of the models that come with venetian-blind construction under the plexiglass or glass.

Windows

If you decide to install windows in the front of your underground or earth sheltered home, make sure you place them in the direction of the south in order to let the sun rays to enter your home in daytime and offer you a natural source of heating besides lighting. Lengthening the depth of light penetration is possible by installing the windows as high in the wall as possible. However, make sure that the window is still low enough to maximize the action of the sun rays for heating purposes.

Artificial Lightning

Even if you succeed in adding plenty of natural light in your underground home, you will still need some sources of artificial lightning. A good option to consider is recessed lighting, as these lights will provide bright illumination that is diffused at the same time. If you want more functionality to your underground lighting plan, you can use spotlights and directional lights, which can be pointed in various directions or mounted on the wall and ceiling. These types of lights are also excellent for highlighting the architecture of your home.

You can also obtain lighting with a great deal of versatility by using track lights, which are compact and small, thus giving you the possibility to move them along a track according to your preferences. They are the perfect solution for altering the lightning scheme for those moments you want to watch a movie or host a party.

Finally, simple lamps that match your décor are unpretentious solutions that will offer you the exact amount of illumination you need for having dinner, reading and all other sorts of activities in your underground home.