Solar shades help protect furniture, artwork, and flooring throughout a home from harmful UV rays. They also reduce heat buildup, which lowers energy costs.
They can be installed inside or outside, though installing them on a window that requires climbing a ladder to reach is usually better done by professionals.
Spring
Many homeowners begin shopping for exterior improvements as the weather warms up. One option is a solar shade, which helps reduce UV damage and heat transfer from sunlight through windows. These shades also help mitigate annoying glare, which can make it difficult to enjoy your outdoor living space.
Solar shades Boston can come with various upgrades that enhance their functionality. For example, the continuous cord loop upgrade removes dangling cords, an important safety feature for homes with children and pets. This style also works well for larger window sizes, making the shades more straightforward.
Another option has a low openness factor and blocks UV rays to limit light transfer and heat loss. This shade works exceptionally well in rooms that receive direct sunlight, such as a sunroom or home theater. It can also be used in bedrooms, where sunlight can disrupt restful sleep.
Summer
The summer is the ideal time to install solar shades for several reasons. They are durable enough for year-round use and help protect your furniture from UV damage. The sun’s harsh rays can cause the plastic to crack, fabric to fade, and wood to warp. Solar shades reduce glare and provide dim, filtered light.
These window coverings can be made with various opacity levels to address specific needs. For instance, you can choose a higher opacity to keep the view clear and reduce heat transfer or a lower opacity to protect artwork, floors, and furniture from damaging UV rays.
You can even add motorized solar shades to your home to save time and energy by automatically raising them and lowering them on a set schedule. Contact your local solar shade installer to learn more about the benefits of this intelligent window treatment option. They can also help you find the best style and color for your windows, French, or sliding glass doors.
Fall
Solar shades are an excellent option for those who want glare control, light control, and partial privacy without sacrificing the view of the outdoors. They can also be paired with curtains for an enhanced aesthetic.
Solar shades can be customized with different openness factors, fabrics, and colors. They are a perfect choice for homes with children or pets because they eliminate the dangers of cords that can strangle them.
Fall is the best time to install solar shades because it is right before the seasons change, and energy usage tends to spike, resulting in higher summer bills. It can be easier to save money in the long run when you do this now. In addition, cellular shades are excellent insulators and offer energy-saving benefits all year round. They also allow you to program the shades to operate on a schedule, eliminating the need to adjust them manually throughout the day. This is an essential feature if your goal is to save money on energy costs.
Winter
Solar shades protect your home’s artwork, furniture, and floors from fading due to intense UV rays. They also offer light control and help insulate heat to prevent overheating. Darker fabrics are ideal for cold climates with less direct winter sun.
While solar shades are a fantastic window treatment for any room, they are best in living spaces and media rooms where glare is an issue. When layered with blackout curtains, they also work well in bedrooms where street lights or sunlight at night can interfere with restful sleep.
Solar shades are available in various fabrics with different openness percentages. Materials with lower rates have a tighter weave and provide more privacy. Higher speeds allow you to see more of the outdoors. If you want to prevent your shades from flapping around, consider installing hold-down brackets at the bottom of each side of your shadow. These brackets are typically plastic or metal clips that hook into holes in the bottom rail. Many manufacturers include these brackets in the installation package for outside mount shades.