🏅 7 Best Solar Tube Lights & Their Reviews [Updated 2022]
Solar tubes can be a great way to save money on your electricity bill. In this article, we’re giving you the 7 best solar tube lights and their reviews for 2022.
Not sure what these solar gadgets are and how they can help you limit your energy output? We’ve put in a section down below the reviews to clarify things a bit.
With that said, let’s get started.
1. Solatube 290DS Daylighting
This type of solar tube can be customized according to the type of roof that one has. This comes in handy especially when the design of the roof or the house is complete, a homeowner does not have to break the beauty of the design of the house in order to fit it in.
Often times when construction begins, the smaller details of the building such as this are overlooked.
At times after the completion of the house, the owner may notice that there is no adequate light thus calling for the fixing of solar tubes to provide adequate natural lighting without having to use electricity during the day.
It can be shaped according to the roof type one has, the length of the tube can be determined as well. It is quite flexible, thereby giving one the option of fitting it and letting it blend or fold into the shape of the roof and or the room.
It can deliver sunlight to a very large area, covering 300 sq. ft. with a tube size of 14 inches, and a tube length of 30 ft. long.
It’s quite long giving the homeowner freedom to fit it anyhow one wishes. It is quite ideal for larger areas like big family couches and bedrooms. And this comes without the extra heat that may come from direct sunlight exposure.
The amount of heat a room is exposed to be minimized making it quite comfortable to have in a home. The tubing length can be reduced to fit the area that needs to be covered.
This type is quite ideal for bigger families with multiple rooms such as bedrooms and corridors or walkways and stairs that run up and down the building.
The reviewers laud it’s an easier way to install a feature where one can simply install it after a first demonstration. One simply has to watch how it is installed and can do it without needing the services of a skilled technician.
A cost saving strategy as well and also time saving and hassle free.
A negative review also comes in when the reviewer does not like it because of the plastic materials used in its components, but later after one year or so of use, the reviewer does not regret buying the item still making it a good choice and also providing the service for which it was intended for.
Pros & Benefits:
- Can be shaped according to the roof type one has
- Ideal for larger areas like big family couches
- Time saving and hassle free
2. Natural Light Skylight
This type comes with natural light’s warranty for up to 25 years warranty, the longer warranty guarantees its durability without a doubt. One can only imagine a quarter century warranty.
Quite a long time of service guarantee. It outlives its cost, it will be such a long time the somebody decides to purchase another one to replace or even when moving houses altogether.
It is quite simple and at the same time for those with a preference for non-complicated items in the market, it comes in quite handy. It is also environmentally friendly, i.e. it does not pollute the environment in any way.
If anyone has ever taken the time to imagine the amount of waste being released into the environment every second, this item would be quite ideal.
This feature makes it quite safe no matter how many are installed in an area, there is no harm to the eco-systems at all.
It is also very bright and does not go yellow after some time, thus making it quite good in weathering out the extremes of the weather conditions.
The effects of the weather can be quite harsh on some of these items that are installed in the homes and after some time, one will either notice a color change or the light it offers may start fading.
This one however is made in such a way that it can withstand quite the exposure without much damage done to it. It also quite durable and strong, such that it does not crack easily under the heat after a long period of time.
Support is offered by the manufacturer when it comes to fitting the tube, so one does not have to worry about the process of installing it in the home.
The cost of getting a skilled technician to do the installation is reduced as one does not have to factor in how to get it installed and the payment as well.
These after sale services offered by the manufacturer can make a product quite attractive, save one the headache and hassle of looking around for skilled technicians, who may even at times fail to understand the product well.
When it comes from the manufacturer, then the fixing is guaranteed because they know and understand all too well their own product that they are dealing with, minimizing breakages and probably products that are not fitted well.
It covers a whole 500 sq. ft. in the home, a very large area thereby making it quite ideal if the area to be covered, it is 18 inches long. One solar tube of this size is enough to light a very big family home, providing lights in the bedrooms, and corridors as well.
The product however has not received bad reviews from clients, probably due to its easier to install feature. It is quite popular with the reviewers and clients, probably because of its simplicity, its size and also the manufacturers’ warranty.
Consumers tend to go for products that are easier to deal with and are not complicated by any standards when it comes to installation. This could be a good reason this particular solar tube is well liked by most customers.
Pros & Benefits:
- Comes with natural light’s warranty for up to 25 years warranty
- Durable and strong
- Covers a whole 500 sq. ft. in the home
3. Skylight Kit for Flat Roof
This tube can provide light to an area of up to 150 square feet, with an equivalent of 300 watts, and is 10 inches long. This solar tune is much smaller as compared to the others in the market. But still quite ideal because of the design.
Those with flat roofs approve of its quality, thus still making it a good product to the end user despite the size.
It has very high energy, thereby providing proper lighting for the home or any place that it is installed in. The high energy makes it quite ideal for providing bright lights to the home.
The brightness could quite compensate for its size. It will beat the bigger ones because the quality of the light is still good. What matters in most of these items is the intention for which the product is purchased.
If it’s to provide lighting and brighter for that purpose, then this one does it perfectly.
It also comes with a 25 year warranty from the manufacturer guaranteeing the user a long time with the product before replacement. This makes it attractive to the customers.
Support to install is provided by the manufacturer, making it quite popular with the clients despite the size.
Also guaranteeing that the fitting and installation is done to perfection, not giving room to ill-fitting that may again lead to customer complaints yet the problem could be lying either with the technician who does the installation.
Pros & Benefits:
- It has very high energy
- Comes with a 25 year warranty from the manufacturer
- Support to install is provided by the manufacturer
4. 14 Inch. Sun Tunnel
This tube is dome shaped, differentiating it from the other solar tubes available in the market, also quite unique and for flexible fitting purposes.
For the roofing that is not the standard type and needs this particular contour, this becomes the perfect fit in this case since most of the solar tubes are those of the ones size fits all.
It has low flashing contour lighting, making it offer even lighting effects to the home. The lighting in this case is spread in a uniform manner and not lighting in some spaces and leaving the others, or even brighter in some areas and dimmer in some.
The tunnel is very flexible, quite attractive when it comes to fitting it in the home. Reviewers praise this item for its ease of installation and probably because of its flexibility, it also gives quite a lot of light.
Pros & Benefits:
- Unique and for flexible fitting purposes
- It has low flashing contour lighting
- Flexible tunnel
5. The ODL EZ14SCANH 14’’
This tube offers 48 inches of high quality light from the roof straight into the room. Its length is quite good when it comes to the height of the roof.
Thus no matter how long the roof is, it still fits well into the design. At the same time the homeowners who may have built without factoring in the need for a solar tube, can still work around this and have it fitted.
It comes with a strongly protected dome that is also patented to the manufacturer. This in a way offers the buyer a warranty when the dome is the original product of the manufacturer.
Sometimes when products are purchased from different manufacturers, their fitting tend to meet the expectations or not fit in perfectly thus destroying the beauty and quality of service it offers.
Thus when the manufacturer has two products working together, it becomes a perfect fit for the user.
It’s made for use in tarmacked roofs. This makes it perfect especially where the home was designed without factoring in the use of a solar tube in the first place.
Or if its installation came as an afterthought after the completion of the building, the tube light can still be installed and fitted.
This item however is a little tricky to install as per the customers’ review and again the amount of lighting depends on the weather outside.
Meaning that when the weather is not so good or if the amount of light is poor outside, the quality of lighting can be very poor thus not serving the purpose for which it was installed well in the first place.
Pros & Benefits:
- It comes with a strongly protected dome
- It’s made for use in tarmacked roofs
- It offers the buyer a warranty when the dome is the original product of the manufacturer
6. Velux 10’’ Double Strength
This item comes with little contour for flashing light thereby spreading the light well into the house. It’s composed of almost 100% a reflective layer made of silver and comes with a 20 year manufacturer’s warranty for the tunnel.
The only one of its kind that comes with a total silver layer. It’s quite easy to install, it can be done without the help of a skilled technician, at no extra cost either.
The buyer simply has to do the purchase and is sure to follow the instructions and do the installation without much fuss.
Though easier to install, if the instructions are not followed well and the installation not done to perfection, one may experience leaking after a few months as per the reviews.
Quite some attention needed if the buyer needs the item to serve well over a period of time.
Pros & Benefits:
- Comes with little contour for flashing light
- Comes with a total silver layer
- Easy to install
7. ODL EZ10T20 10X20’’ Tubular
This tubular comes with a lot of light that is focused on the area. Its concentrated lighting feature makes it quite ideal for those who would wish to have particular areas in the home have some intensive lighting.
It also comes with an extension tube for extra use should the normal tube not be enough or extended tube while fitting be needed.
It also comes with a roll of extension duct for easier installation and uses from the manufacturer. This is also quite well when installing, the extra extension comes as a package with the item and not bought separately on its own.
Quite a saving even if just minimal, but most of the time, it’s these small things that matter when it comes to client purchase decisions.
The customer reviews are quite good for this particular item, in terms of lighting and installation. And many would attest that they’ll buy it again and even recommend it to another buyer.
Pros & Benefits:
- Comes with an extension tube for extra use
- Comes with a roll of extension duct for easier installation
- Easy to install
What are Solar Tubes?
Also referred to as light tubes or sun scopes, are designed like pipes consisting of a set of mirrors from a house to the rooftop through the ceiling thus bringing sunlight to a house or an apartment, one would call them daylight pipes.
At the very bottom, a diffuser is attached to spread light over a very large area and can fill an entire apartment sometimes even better than the sunlight. Basically, solar tubes are a suitable and cheap way to bring natural light into a building.
They are a convenient source of lighting for a home, are very practical and saves energy. Solar tubes are a good alternative to skylights especially when one is limited by cost and the size of the apartment or room.
Lighting from solar tubes is more natural, easier on the eyes and is just like the outdoors and daylight. Solar tubes bring in abundant light as compared to light from a light bulb because of the way it is designed.
Solar tubes minimize exposure to direct sunlight or UV rays as many would put it, making them quite ideal in cases where there is sensitivity to direct exposure in the home, but at the same time, they allow the natural light even when there is no possibility of direct sunlight from the rooftop. This makes them quite attractive.
Solar tubes can brighten very large areas of a home. In fact, when installed it’s like daylight, the darkest corners of a room all get illuminated, like the washrooms, or corridors.
They are also quite pocket friendly as they are very easy to install as compared to skylights. One does not have to change the arrangement of a room or even do the fresh painting after installing.
Below are some of the best solar tubes that you may prefer for your home.
Ever walked into a home, especially in regions where there is poor access to electricity, or in terrains where it would be almost impossible to install electricity and wondered how bright the houses in such locations seem bright, even in the evening?
Solar tubes do the trick in such areas. A home will remain very bright even in seasons when there is no proper lighting in place. Corridors remain fully light like almost lying there lights are fully on in the home and even the toilets and bedrooms.
Solar tubes, while quite convenient and also cost effective in avoiding the cost of electric light, last for quite a long. Some come with a warranty for as long as 25 years from the manufacturers, making them quite long-lasting with guaranteed service and quality.
On the other side though, some clients do not seem quite satisfied with some of the solar tubes when it comes to the quality of light they are providing and at the same time when it comes to installation.
Some clients seem to have a feeling that they are not as easy to install and need the assistance of a skilled electrician to put them in place. And again if not fitted well, they tend to leak after some time making them a bit tricky to deal with.
Care, therefore, need to be taken when choosing the right one to fit according to the roofing of the house and also according to the design that one chooses to install.
Final Thoughts
We hope you’ve enjoyed this review of the 7 best solar tubes and their reviews for 2022. See on that’s not on this list and needs to be? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.
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