Best Solar Tubes

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Natural light is one of the most requested features in a home. People want to live in houses that have ample natural lighting. Everyone prefers sunlight over artificial lighting, and it can be difficult to have full-sized, wide windows to ensure this amenity.

In such cases, homeowners have the option to install solar tubes instead. This is one of the most affordable and effective methods to introduce natural lighting in your home. These lights have a straightforward mechanism, but it works wonders!

We have compiled the top products you can consider for your house to incorporate more natural light into your interiors. This list has comprehensive reviews of all these products for your convenience.

Further, you can go through the buying guide to learn more about solar tubes and why you need to get them. So, continue reading and take notes if you want to buy the best solar tubes for your home!

Read on for our expert reviews of the best solar tubes available. Check the latest prices to ensure you get a great deal!

Our Top Picks

7 Best Solar Tubes

1. Natural Light Energy Systems

Solar tubes from Natural Light Energy Systems are considered to be one of the best in class. These tubes are sturdy, durable, and perfect for a wide range of situations. This model is a 13-inch skylight that covers a wide distance and illuminates large spaces efficiently.

Here are some of its top features that make this an excellent choice for people.

Features

Fits Easily

One of the best features of this skylight is the way it fits on the roof. It takes very little effort and minimum skills to fit this light into a roof. Additionally, it comes with a 4-feet long shaft that allows you to install it in various roofs, especially fiberglass-asphalt shingle roofs.

Great Warranty

This solar-powered light from Natural Light Energy Systems may be durable. However, in the essence of building more trust in the brand, the company offers all its clients a 25-year product warranty on this skylight. This warranty enables you to get reimbursed for any defects that arise in your product in 25 years from the date of buying it!

Robust Material

This skylight is meant to persist on roofs. Its outer body needs to be sturdy and durable. Natural Light Energy Systems pays special attention to this concern and has built this light using aluminum on the outside.

Illuminates a Wide Area

This 13-inch skylight may seem very small to some, but it has the power to illuminate an area of approximately 300 square feet without any trouble. This could be credited to its domed prismatic interior diffuser that spreads the light across a large distance without dimming its intensity.

Energy-Efficient

Since the light is solar-powered, a tremendous advantage of using it is saving energy and money simultaneously. This product is energy-star qualified, which means you can use it without worrying about racking up your energy bill. Additionally, you will also be contributing to more sustainable lighting solutions.

2. VELUX 10-Inch Double Strength Acrylic Rigid Skylights

If you are in search of a durable solar-powered skylight, this is the perfect choice for you. You can trust this 10-inch VELUX skylight powered by solar energy to illuminate your room effectively. This type of light can be used in different rooms because of its features.

Features

Sleek Look

One of the most attractive features of this light is that it looks great in any room. It has low-profile flashing, making it the ideal choice for your lights to look good with the roofline.

Highly Reflective

High reflectance and good light dispersion are a few things that you cannot compromise on when looking for solar lights for your home. This solar light has 99% reflectance and a 20-year tunnel warranty that ensures minimum damage caused to your solar light.

Energy-Efficient

This 10-inch solar tube is one of the best options for people who want to do their bit to save the planet. These lights are also very effective when it comes to conserving energy. It helps you save money while still lighting up your home or establishment the way you want to.

Easy Installation

Solar lights are notorious for being either too fragile or too complicated to install on roofs. However, that’s not the case with this one, as it is perfect for all types of roofs, including shake roofs and shingles that have a pitch anywhere between 15 to 60 degrees. In less than 2 hours, these lights can be installed on roofs, and they will be ready to function!

3. Natural Light 10-Inch Tubular Skylights and Solar Tubes

This 10-inch solar tube is an excellent choice for people looking for sturdy skylights for their roofs. However, this skylight is only suitable for flat roofs and cannot be installed on a metal roof. An excellent quality about these lights is that you can use them to save energy and money as they are NFRC certified, making them officially energy efficient.

Features

Bright Light

This natural skylight will provide you with the brightest light that is sure to illuminate your room. It can brighten up spaces up to 150 square feet without dimming the intensity of the light. This light intensity is equal to 300 watts in total when compared.

Sturdy Body

One of the best features of this skylight is that it is made out of tough materials that make it very durable. This light is made of aluminum which makes it lightweight yet durable which is perfect for flat roofs.

Domed Prismatic Interior Diffuser

This feature enables your skylight to diffuse the light in all directions equally. The product can successfully illuminate a room of about 150 square feet with around 300 watts of power. The product has 4 feet of tubing along with additional tubing in case it is needed.

Hurricane-Tested

Roof lighting fixtures that are solar powered are usually a huge concern in hurricane-prone places like Florida. However, this skylight has been amply tested and approved for use in the state of Florida for this very concern.

4. Natural Light 10-Inch Solar Tubes and Energy Systems

This skylight from Natural Light is a 10-inch variant and has high-quality specifications. These features make it perfect for your home. One of the most important aspects of this light is that it comes coated with UV protectants.

This way, none of your furniture will be affected due to the harmful rays of the sun. Here are some of the most important features of this light that make it worth the purchase.

Features

Easy to Install

If you are looking for a skylight that you can install once and then forget about, this is an excellent choice for you. This skylight takes less than a few hours to install, and once it fits into your roof, it does not require any maintenance either. Moreover, the light is entirely water-proof. Hence, there is no chance of leakage into your home in case of heavy rains.

Energy-Efficient

When it comes to solar tubes, their foremost redeeming quality is that they help you save energy and money. This particular model is Energy Star qualified and comes with an NFRC certification which can vouch for its energy efficiency.

UV Protection

One of the best features of this light is that it comes with UV protection on the inside. So, you can rest assured that none of the harmful rays of the sun will enter your house and degrade your furniture or clothes.

Prevents Moisture Build-Up

It is very common to see droplets of water condensing inside the skylight. This can reduce the intensity of the light and degrade its luminosity over time. However, you will not face this problem with the Natural Lights skylight as it comes with an advanced condensation release system that rapidly removes all moisture from the light.

5. Velux America 14-Inch Solar Tubes and Tubular Skylights

Are you searching for an eco-friendly lighting solution for your home? VELUX 14-inch solar tubes and skylights might just be what you’re looking for. With flexible tubing, you can easily install this skylight even in places where there are obstacles. This 14-inch solar tube is perfect for filling up your rooms with natural light that has no color shift.

Features

Energy-Saving

Exchange your electrical lights for eco-friendly solar tubes that will decrease your power bill. The 14-inch solar tubes are natural lighting solutions that will reduce your dependence on artificial lighting to illuminate your home. Save extra dollar bills by switching to natural solar tubular skylights and fill your home with natural light.

Flexible Tubing

There is no need to renovate your roof to fix new solar lights. The flexible pivoting of the VELUX 14-inch solar tunnel makes installation easy as a breeze. The pivoting tunnel ensures maximum light is captured for even lighting across the room.

Bright Lighting

Advanced optical engineering has given birth to the extremely flexible yet reflective tunnels that deliver natural light in your rooms. From the light-capturing dome to a flexible reflective tunnel, all components are impact-proof. Constructed with high-quality materials, you can rest assured knowing your VELUX skylights are going to last you a long time.

Seamless Design

Are you worried your tubular skylights will spoil the look of your room? Forget your fears because the VELUX 14-inch skylight features low-profile flashing that smoothly blends in with the roof. Your roofs with the skylights will look fantastic and illuminate the room without looking out-of-place.

6. Sunoptics SUN R2020 FLAT TGZ 50CC2 Solar Tube

Are you having trouble lighting your bathrooms or indoor spaces? Do you waste too much money on huge light fixtures and bulbs? Get these Sunoptics SUN R2020 skylights which can fill your dark indoor spaces with fresh, natural light. Although flat, this SUN R2020 skylight has the best lenses and frames for 100% diffused sunlight.

Features

Easy to Install

To install the solar tube, you need to construct a curb. You can buy the flashing kit separately, which makes the skylight leak-proof. After the curb construction, it’s straightforward to install the skylight. It also comes in three sizes to suit your room and lighting needs.

Versatile Skylight

A versatile skylight can be fitted in all your rooms, even in the dark, humid bathrooms. With SUN R2020, you won’t feel the need to add any vents in the bathroom for air ventilation. It comes in two variants- manually vented and non-vented. You are guaranteed fresh air, natural sunlight when you choose this vented skylight with a bug screen.

Sturdy Construction

With superior components like prismatic lenses, this skylight ensures 100% diffused sunlight. Naturally lit rooms with no glare and hotspots, this skylight is perfect for illuminating every corner of the room uniformly. The skylight also features frame moisture protection which, along with the prismatic lenses, provides thermal protection.

Energy-Efficient

Whether you’re lighting up a bathroom or an entire room, this skylight is great to save money on your power bill. Even if there is an overcast, you can expect this SUN R2020 skylight to give optimal skylight. Why invest in a bulb when you can fit in the skylight and save your dollar bills.

7. Natural Light 13-Inch Solar Tubes and Tubular Skylight Kit

If you are in search of a highly luminous skylight either for your home or your office, this option is worth your consideration. The skylight comes with NFRC certification and is a 13-inch tube. The light also comes with a 25-year warranty. Hence, you can trust its durability!

Features

Hurricane-Tested

If you live in a region where the weather conditions are not very reliable, you need skylights to withstand hurricanes and thunderstorms. This skylight is tested and approved so that it can be installed in hurricane-prone regions like Florida.

High-Quality Materials

This light is made of high-quality materials and is made in the USA. It is tough and durable and comes with a long-term warranty of 25 years.

Energy-Efficient

This light is an excellent choice for people looking for environment-friendly natural skylights that can illuminate large-sized rooms. This light can illuminate spaces of about 300 square feet. This is equivalent to a light bulb of 500 watts!

Prismatic Diffuser

The skylight comes with a prismatic diffuser and a 4 feet long tubing. This ensures that the light entering your home is evenly distributed, and the intensity of the light is not lost even in a 300 square feet room.

Perfect for Flat Roofs

This light is perfect for flat roofs, and it does not require a lot of skill or effort to install. It is water-resistant and does not need a ton of maintenance. However, if you need skylights for slanting roofs, this might not be a viable option for you.

Solar Tube Buying Guide

Solar tubes may seem complicated if you don’t know their inner workings properly. However, these are some of the simplest tools you can use to let more natural light into your home. Here is a detailed buying guide for your reference and understanding!

Key Takeaways

• Solar tubes are a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to bring natural light into your home, suitable for dark or poorly lit areas such as bathrooms.
• Solar tubes channel sunlight through a reflective tube, ensuring minimal energy loss and providing consistent, UV-protected, and condensation-resistant light.
• The benefits of using solar tubes include low maintenance, easy installation, energy savings, and suitability for homes of all sizes. Choosing the right solar tube involves considering factors like roof type, weather conditions, budget, and room size.

What Are Solar Tubes?

Solar tubes are devices used to brighten up dark spaces in your home. These tubes have a very simple mechanism and are highly inclusive too. These lights are installed using a long tube on your roof.

This tube connects the outside of your roof to your ceiling at home. The column then brings in sunlight and makes your space naturally brighter. This fixture may seem exactly like a skylight, but there are many significant differences between the two.

A skylight is larger than solar tubes. These tubes are of a smaller diameter and have a reflective coating on the inside so that the light that enters your house is bright and strong enough to illuminate your space.

On the other hand, when it comes to skylights, they are larger and also promote heat transfer inside the house. A large skylight can warm your house up rather quickly. However, solar tubes do not permit a lot of heat transfer.

You can use these solar lights in the darker corners of your house where there is little to no light. For instance, if you have a bathroom with small windows and want to let in more natural light, you can install a solar tube there.

These solar tubes will not take up a ton of space in your drywall either, making them an excellent and highly inclusive option for people.

How Do Solar Tubes Work?

Solar tubes are the perfect alternative to skylights for when you want more natural sunlight entering your house. These lights are cheaper and easier to install when compared to skylights making them the perfect choice for anyone.

These lights are essentially a long tube that connects the roof of your house on the outside with the ceiling on the inside. The sunlight then travels through the tube and enters your house through a prismatic diffuser.

If you get a high-quality solar tube for your house, you will notice a minimum energy loss. You practically get light of the same intensity as the sun rays entering the solar tube outside.

These lights are coated with aluminum or other highly reflective substances inside. This makes the inner tube act like a long, cylindrical mirror so that all the sunlight can enter your house. Additionally, the inner tube is vacuum sealed so nothing can enter the tubes from the outside.

The top is a dome-shaped entrance that lets the sunlight into the tube. These solar tubes generally come with UV protection to ensure that no harmful UV rays enter your house directly. UV radiation can end up harming your furniture, clothing, and even your family.

These solar tubes are also condensation-redundant. So, the inner tubes can get rid of any water vapor that enters the tube and condenses along its side. This increases the longevity of the solar tube’s lifespan and makes them more efficient.

What Are the Benefits of Using Solar Tubes?

Apart from being an environment-friendly choice, these lights also have many other perks that will convince you to get these very lights for your house. Here’s what they are!

Low Maintenance

Once installed, you do not need to take a lot of care of them. While it may seem like they need to be cleaned regularly, that is not the case. These lights have a basic mechanism, but they are built keeping all external factors in mind.

For instance, you do not need to clean these solar lights on your own. Their exterior is generally curved or dome-shaped so that nothing can get stuck to the top, and you keep getting natural light regularly.

Whenever you get on your roof to clean it, you can brush around the skylight to clean it up. Additionally, these lights are vacuum-sealed so that nothing can enter the tube from the outside. Most of these solar lights are also condensation-proof.

Easy to Install

One of the best features of solar tubes is how easy they are to install. These lights can be fit into your roof in a matter of hours! The job is so easy that you can even do it independently without needing someone else’s help.

Solar lights are directly installed in roofs between the rafters. Unlike skylights, these lights do not need a ton of space either. They do not mess with the architecture of your house or its structural integrity.

Provide Natural Light

Natural light is a very important factor in homes. Homes that lack sunlight are considered to be rather dull. However, it is not viable for all homes to have the same amount of natural lighting.

Solar tubes are the perfect alternative to this problem. You can use solar tubes to let sunlight into your house. They can be installed in any room and are very efficient in illuminating your space.

Environment-Friendly

Solar tubes are an excellent choice for people who are trying to be environmentally conscious. These lights can help you reduce your energy consumption significantly. This is because solar tubes use the energy derived from the sun to brighten up homes.

Additionally, these lights do not permit heat transfer from the outside in the summer months. Your house will not heat up as much as it would have if you installed skylights instead of solar tubes. This way, your air conditioning system will not have to work in overdrive to cool down the temperature of your house in the summer.

These lights will help you reduce your carbon footprint!

Save Money and Energy

With electricity bills soaring at an all-time high, you need to be smarter with your energy consumption. Solar energy is one of the cleanest forms of perpetual energy you can find. Using solar energy at home can help you significantly cut down on your energy bills this summer.

When you do not need artificial lighting during the day, you will automatically save a lot of electricity. These solar tubes will brighten up your rooms practically free of charge. So, by saving electricity, you will also be saving a lot of money in the long run!

Great for Houses of All Sizes

Installing skylights is a more common technique to let natural light into your home. However, skylights are not a viable option for smaller houses. These lights take up too much space and cannot be installed in small rooms like lavatories.

Solar tubes are perfect for every type of room. They do not occupy too much space and are easy to install. Additionally, they can be installed in drywall very easily.

How to Buy the Right Solar Tube

There are two different types of solar tubes available in stores. You can either get a rigid solar tube or a flexible one. This majorly depends on your requirements and the type of house you live in.

A rigid light is comparatively more expensive as it allows sunlight directly to your house in a straight line. On the other hand, a flexible one has turnings in its tube, reducing the intensity of the light transferred.

Picking the right model of the solar tube is just as important. So, here are a few factors that determine the type of solar tube you will need for your house.

Type of Roof

Not all solar tubes work for every roof. Certain limitations come with every product. For instance, you will notice that many of these solar tubes are suitable for asphalt roofs only.

Additionally, depending on whether your roof is slanting or flat, you will need to look at suitable models too. If you have a sloping roof, you can use a flashing adapter to adjust the tube to your roof!

Weather

While most solar tubes are water-resistant, you need to be very careful of the type of product you install in your home. Most solar tubes are UV protected. So, you have nothing to worry about when it comes to sun damage.

However, if you live in a region where hurricanes and storms are a common phenomenon, you must think twice before making any holes in your ceiling! Make sure the solar tube you choose to buy is hurricane-tested and approved first to avoid future problems!

Budget

The first thing you need to do is set a budget for your solar tube lighting. While solar tubes are significantly cheaper than having a skylight installed, these require money too. You should be comfortable spending about $1000 on the entire setup.

However, if you calculate, you will realize that this is an excellent investment. Solar tubes will help you save a lot of money in the future on your electricity bills. Therefore, spending money now should not be a problem!

Room Size

Small solar tubes are not advised if you want to light up big rooms. You should be mindful of the size of your room when you are choosing a solar tube. For instance, an average 10-inch light can illuminate a space as big as 150 square feet!

Case Study: Illuminating Homes with Solar Tubes

Background

At Solar Panels Network USA, we specialize in innovative solar lighting solutions that enhance home comfort and efficiency. One of our recent projects involved a client who wanted to brighten up several dark areas in their home using solar tubes. The client sought a sustainable, cost-effective solution that would provide ample natural light without compromising their home’s energy efficiency.

Project Overview

The project’s objective was to install solar tubes in various rooms, including a dimly lit hallway, a windowless bathroom, and a dark kitchen corner. We aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness of solar tubes in transforming these spaces with natural light while reducing the client’s reliance on artificial lighting.

Implementation

Site Assessment and Planning

Our first step was a comprehensive site assessment to identify the best locations for the solar tubes. Key considerations included:

• Sunlight Exposure: Ensuring optimal sunlight exposure for maximum light intake.
• Structural Integrity: Assessing the roof and ceiling structure to ensure compatibility with the solar tube installation.
• Room Usage: Prioritizing areas that would benefit most from natural light.

Selection of Solar Tubes

Based on our assessment, we selected high-quality solar tubes featuring:

• Rigid Tubes: Chosen for their higher light transmission efficiency and durability.
• Reflective Coatings: Aluminum-coated interiors to maximize light reflection and brightness.
• UV Protection: Ensuring no harmful UV rays enter the home, protecting furniture and occupants.

Installation Process

The installation process involved several key steps:

1. Roof Preparation: Cutting precise openings in the roof for the tube domes, ensuring weather-tight seals.
2. Tube Assembly: Connecting the reflective tubes from the roof to the designated indoor areas.
3. Ceiling Integration: Installing diffusers on the ceilings to evenly distribute the natural light throughout the rooms.

Results

Enhanced Natural Lighting

The solar tubes significantly enhanced the natural lighting in the targeted areas. The previously dark hallway, bathroom, and kitchen corner were now brightly lit, creating a more inviting and functional environment.

Energy Savings

By reducing the need for artificial lighting during the day, the client experienced noticeable energy savings. The solar tubes provided consistent, high-quality light, reducing electricity usage and lowering utility bills.

Sustainable and Low-Maintenance Solution

The solar tubes proved to be a sustainable solution requiring minimal maintenance. The UV protection and condensation-resistant features ensured long-term durability and performance.

Summary

Our project with solar tubes successfully demonstrated their benefits in enhancing home lighting and energy efficiency. By strategically installing the tubes and selecting high-quality components, we transformed dark areas into bright, welcoming spaces while promoting sustainability. At Solar Panels Network USA, we continue to advocate for innovative solar solutions that meet our clients’ needs, ensuring energy-efficient and beautifully lit homes.

Expert Insights From Our Solar Panel Installers About Solar Tubes

Solar tubes are an innovative and practical solution for bringing natural light into dark spaces in your home. They’re more efficient than traditional skylights and are relatively easy to install.

Senior Solar Panel Installer

Choosing the right solar tube involves considering your roof type and the amount of sunlight your home receives. High-quality reflective materials inside the tube can significantly improve light efficiency and brightness.

Lead Solar Technology Specialist

When installing solar tubes, ensure the tube is well-sealed to prevent moisture and condensation. This not only extends the life of the tube but also maintains optimal light quality.

Solar Installation Expert

Our Expertise in Solar Products

At Solar Panels Network USA, we’re not just installers; we’re enthusiasts, researchers, and users of solar tubes. Over the years, we’ve been at the forefront of solar technology, understanding the nuances and intricacies of various solar-powered gadgets. Our team has hands-on experience with a wide range of solar tubes, and we’ve seen the evolution of solar tubes from their inception to the advanced versions available today.

Why Trust Our Reviews?

• Hands-On Testing: Before penning down any review, our team spends weeks testing solar tubes. For this article, we installed and used each of these solar tubes in various settings – from residential rooftops to commercial installations, ensuring we understand their performance in real-world scenarios.
• Continuous Learning: We regularly attend solar technology conferences, workshops, and seminars. This continuous learning ensures we’re always updated with the latest solar tech, allowing us to evaluate products against the most recent standards.
• Feedback Loop: Over the years, we’ve built a community of solar enthusiasts. We often reach out to them for feedback on solar tubes, ensuring our reviews aren’t just based on our perspective but reflect the broader community’s experiences.
• Transparency: Whenever we receive solar tubes for review from manufacturers, we ensure full transparency with our readers. For this article, some solar tubes were purchased by our team, while manufacturers sent others. However, our reviews remain unbiased, focusing solely on the product’s performance.
• Decades of Experience: Collectively, our team has over two decades of experience in the solar industry. From understanding the technical aspects of solar tubes to the aesthetic design of solar products, our expertise spans wide and deep.

In this article, we’ve combined our personal experiences, technical knowledge, and feedback from our community to provide you with comprehensive reviews of the best solar tubes for 2024. We believe that our expertise, combined with our commitment to transparency and continuous learning, makes us a reliable source for solar tube reviews.

Conclusion

Solar tubes are an investment that will save you a significant amount of money. We hope that our top picks helped you make your decision. Make sure you first assess your roof and figure out your requirements before you buy solar skylights.

Additionally, we assume our comprehensive buying guide has explained to you how effective solar tubes are for lighting up homes. So, go through the guide and understand these lights better before you buy one.

Once you grasp what you need, all you have to do is go online and get yourself these lights. Further, you can either get them professionally installed or DIY your way through the installation!