TRy asking in Home Dec. forum. Lots of poeple there have posted about them.

Molly~

I put one in my bathroom, and was astonished at how much light it added (and the top if it is under my air conditioner, too!!) I loved the light so much I added two more to my kitchen, and also added the light kits so they would put light out at night, too.

Carla in Sac

I've seen a few in various houses. They do an awesome job.

i put two in my kitchen and i love them. lots of diffused light, less need for electricity. i'm thinking of putting another in a dark hallway, and a north side room. the installers can put one in in about two hours if its a straight run. i may do the next one myself, now that i've seen what's involved. i used a brand called "daylite", because the roof hardware is metal, vice plastic, and the brand has a good warranty. by the way the tubular skylights are eligible for energy tax savings.

My daughter had them installed in two interior bathrooms. What a difference they make! It used to be like going into a cave to enter one, but now (during daylight hours) it's just like entering a room that has windows.

A friend installed one in a long, dark interior hallway that depressed her & has been quite satisfied.

I have read that they are easier & less expensive to install (I believe my daughter's were $500 for the two, about three years ago) than regular skylights. They are also supposed to have many fewer leakage problems than skylights.

The interior of the tube is metal for good light reflection. However, I don't care for the metal color shining down in the ceiling, & would ask if white would work.

kathleenca: what do you mean by metal shining down?.............i got a quote for $439 for a 10" and $539 for the 14"..............

Hi Johnuch,

I'm sorry - I should have been more clear. The interior of the tube that goes to the roof is a silver metal, aluminum, I think, for better light reflection. The tube comes into the ceiling of the room, like a skylight, & is covered with a round plastic or glass cover (about 14" across). It looks rather like a light fixture when you glance at it.

The color of the light & cover is silver. I would prefer white or even a pale yellow - more like a light bulb than a metal or silver color that I am not used to seeing on a ceiling.

Friends of ours have one in the bathroom. After using the bathroom I kept trying to turn off the "light". Amazing how much light they let in.
Kathy G in MI

my light comes out yellowish/white, the color of the sun overhead. i would call the incoming light "natural light", not metallic, even on overcast days. another cool thing is that you also get light coming in on full moon nights.

my light comes out yellowish/white, the color of the sun overhead. i would call the incoming light "natural light", not metallic, even on overcast days. another cool thing is that you also get light coming in on full moon nights.

Here is a link that might be useful:

other then i haven't done any thing yet....but will probably go with odl

Tubular Skylights are not all the same. Use common sense and do a little research on each manufacturer page and it will be very clear. The Solatube Brand has patents that make it the brightest and even deliver more HOURS of daylight. This is simply because the tubing is the most reflective (99.7%) AND the dome on the roof uses a fresnel lens (think lighthouses) to capture more light early and late in the day. If you want to change the white light (full spectrum daylight) to a warmer color, add theatrical film in any shade of ivory or auburn that you want. Yes - I work for a company that carries Solatube (in WA) and if they didn't do a terrific job with our gray skies, we wouldn't be celebrating twenty years. Less than 3% of our customers choose to change the color by the way. AND We HAVE GLASS ceiling lenses! TIP - A tubular skylight should ALWAYS be installed for less than what you would pay for a traditional box skylight. Use the 10" in smaller rooms and the 14" in larger rooms (kitchen/living). Don't place between you and the TV if you watch TV during the day (unless you add an electric dimmer). Same goes for a bedroom.

This subject interest me, I'd like to see any additional posts.

I put a solatube in my kitchen. It makes a huge difference. It kind of looks like a big recessed light on the ceiling. They go in fast, no need to change any framing or anything.

This subject interest me, I'd like to see any additional posts.