Light-ing Up Your Life

Home & Yard Blvd. Section

Gone for now are the dark, cold winter months. Remind yourself of that every day—it will make you happier…guaranteed. As the days keep getting longer and longer, bring some of that wonderful natural light into your home with Solatube solar skylights. These miniwindows to the outside rays, which let a great amount of light into your home, aren’t nearly as much of a hassle to install as a full-fledged skylight.

The actual unit that sits on your roof is small, too small for you to think that it really could deliver anything bright or long-lasting—but that’s where you would be mistaken. The Solatube is lined with an internal reflective system that can channel light from the outside anywhere into your home.

No matter what kind of roof you have, Solatubes can be installed and supported. The tubing, which can fit between rafters in your home, does not require you to put any major holes in your roof. Unlike a conventional skylight, Solatubes can have a dimmer switch installed, so you can control the mood of the natural light coming into your home.

It’s by far the most perfect arrangement for people with tough lighting problems who want a low-energy solution to their lack of lighting.

These systems are all-weather fixtures, too. Allow light into your home all year long, whether it’s 60 above or 16 below. And the tube itself doesn’t need to be insulated, a definite plus when you’re installing it.

Solatubes are a green solution to lighting problems as well. That’s right, you can leave the electric lights off, but have plenty of daylight to work with, which is obviously energy-efficient, and in the end saves you money.

So, if you’ve decided use these compact windows to supply daylight in your home, you probably are wondering how much they cost. Well, like anything that comes in all shapes and sizes, the cost varies. A couple of components need to be bought, but to give you an idea, a 10-inch kit will cost somewhere around $350.

But keep in mind, this is a long-term investment: Buying a skylight and getting it installed will cost you at least as much, not to mention the effect on your home of putting a giant hole in the roof.

If you want to see these bad boys at work, you can check them out at several events and expos throughout the year, including the Home Building & Remodeling Show and the Minneapolis Home & Garden Show, both at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

Just can’t wait? Check out Solar Midwest in Plymouth at www.solarmidwest.com.

So, if you’re sitting in your home squinting to read this, you might want to consider a better light source—and remember, Solatubes can brighten up anywhere.

Solar Midwest
12829 Industrial Park Blvd.
(763) 557-5702
www.solarmidwest.com