If your home doesn't get a lot of natural sunlight, solar tubes may be the answer you've been looking for. One Redditor shared photos of their newly installed solar tubes, and it sounded like they were extremely happy with the decision.
"I just got solar tubes installed to provide more natural light for my plants," they wrote a couple of years ago, sharing with the other members of the r/plants subreddit.
Solar tubes are essentially miniature skylights that are designed with porthole-style lenses that direct and diffuse the maximum amount of sunlight into your living space. Since they use only the light from the sun, they require no electricity whatsoever. The lens shape is also designed to eliminate glare.
"Solar tubes are amazing. You'll be surprised at how much light they provide," one commenter wrote.
Multiple scientific studies have shown positive correlations between sunlight exposure and mental health and well-being. "Appropriate enhancement of sunlight exposure will be beneficial to mental health," one such study concluded.
If you've been wondering how difficult or expensive it is to get solar tubes installed, the Reddit thread helped to answer those questions. The original poster responded to several comments, writing that the tubes cost "$1,944 for all three, after everything was said and done. $500 cheaper than their estimate."
They also wrote that the installation "took one dude about 6 hours."
Later in the thread, they expanded more, writing: "It brightens up my whole living room. I'm traveling abroad and somebody house sitting commented on how much they love them.
"… I was a bit worried about them being too bright. Because I ordered the ones that cannot be fitted with dimmers. But I have no complaint."
And, finally, they shared perhaps the most meaningful endorsement possible, writing, "My plant dealer dude has 9 of them in his house and is planning on getting 4 more."
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