Are solar shades worth it? Yes, solar shades are definitely worth it! They not only prevent your furniture and floors from fading, but also protect your skin from the cancerous UV rays, provide a view to the outside and help you keep your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
These movable solar shading devices, called solar roller shades, offer lots of benefits for your indoor and outdoor spaces, ranging from sun protection and curb appeal to privacy and glare-free natural light. They reduce the sun’s heat.
Different types of solar blinds can promote maximum energy saving, access to natural daylight, and the best visual and thermal comfort.
As solar shades form an important ingredient of the home decor industry, they come with different cordless control mechanisms. Also, they can be easily motorized and integrated into smart-home systems.
Cordless controls are CPSC-approved as a safe choice for homes with young children and pets.
Scroll on to learn about the 16 advantages of solar blinds you shouldn’t miss out.
16 Benefits of Solar Shades You Shouldn’t Miss Out
1. Protection from Harsh UV Rays
Solar blinds are designed to block the sun’s harmful UV rays from entering your home. They can help protect your furniture, flooring, and other finishing from fading, cracking, or discoloration caused by prolonged sun exposure.
2. Daytime Privacy
Solar shades offer excellent privacy during the day by limiting the view from the outside, while still allowing you to see outside of your home. This feature ensures privacy without completely blocking your connection to the world outside.
3. Glare Reduction
These window shades effectively reduce glare on the screens of your devices, such as computers and TVs, making it easier to work without uncomfortable reflections of natural or artificial light.
4. Heat Resistant Fabric
Solar roller blinds are made with high-quality durable materials that are built to withstand prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. They are durable and can retain their aesthetic appeal and functionality for an extended period.
5. Energy Efficiency
Solar blinds are known for their high potential for energy savings. They help regulate the temperature of your home by blocking solar heat gain during hot weather and insulating against heat loss during the colder winter months.
6. Filtered Natural Light
The solar shades filter and diffuse sunlight, providing a soft and pleasant illumination in your home. So, you can easily enjoy natural light without the discomfort of direct glare.
7. Heat Reduction
Solar roller shades are designed to block out a significant amount of solar heat, helping you to keep your home cooler during the hot summer months. This can reduce your reliance on air conditioning and lower energy costs.
8. Lots of Custom Options to Match Indoor & Outdoor Decors
Solar shades for windows come in a variety of styles and sizes. So, you can choose the perfect size and design to complement your home’s interior decor.
9. Easy to Roll up and Down to Control Sun, UV Rays, & Privacy
The solar shades are typically easy to raise, lower, or adjust, with options for manual or motorized, or smart lift controls. Motorized versions can be controlled remotely, making it convenient to adjust the shades throughout the day.
10. Easier to Install due to Lighter Weight
Modern solar blinds can be easily installed on your home’s windows, using a few tools and easy, DIY tips. For example, you only need to fix mounting brackets and hang your shades. That’s all!
11. Dust-Resistant Solar Fabric – Lower Maintenance Costs
Cleaning and maintaining solar roller shades is an easy, quick DIY process. Most shades can be easily wiped down clean with a soft cloth or vacuumed using a brush attachment.
12. Reduce Some Outside Noise
Solar roller shades can help reduce some outside noise to create a quieter and more peaceful environment inside your home, office, or other building.
13. Versatile Light Control Options
With solar window blinds, you have control over the amount of light you want to sail into your space. By adjusting the position of the fabric vanes, you can create various levels of light control and ambiance.
14. Environmental Advantages
By reducing your reliance on artificial lighting and air conditioning, solar roller window coverings contribute to a more sustainable and eco-friendly home.
15. Add to the Value of Your Home
Want to sell your home for a higher price than expected? Consider installing solar shades in your home, as they can enhance the overall value of your home. These window shades offer an attractive and functional feature that can be appealing to potential buyers.
16. Available at Great Low Prices
Solar roller shades are very affordable window treatments for indoor and outdoor use. Unlike other window treatments, solar blinds are usually priced at around $100. You can buy an elite solar shade 10% openness for a 36” (3 ft) x 48” (4 ft) window for as low as $82, thanks to a 32% discount! You can save further on free shipping and easy DIY installation.
How to Choose a Suitable Openness Percentage of Solar Shades for Your Needs
Modern, affordable solar shades come with different openness levels, including 1%, 5%, 10%, and 14%. The openness level of sun shades refers to the density of their fabric weave, which determines the amount of light transmission and visibility. Here are some of the popular openness levels for solar blinds you should consider when buying one.
1% Openness Factor for Maximum Privacy, Light Control, & UV Protection
The shades with a 1% openness level have the tightest weave to offer maximum privacy and UV protection. They provide the highest level of light blockage for rooms where nearly complete darkness is desired, such as bedrooms, kids’ rooms, and media rooms.
5% Openness Factor for Subtle Level of Privacy Without Blocking the View
These solar shades offer a good combination of light filtering and outside visibility. They provide homeowners with a subtle level of privacy without blocking the view to the outside.. 5% openness blinds are commonly used in areas like kitchens, sunrooms, and family rooms.
10% Openness for More Visibility and Clearer View
Solar shades with a 10% openness level offer a higher level of visibility and natural light transmission. They provide a clearer view of the outside and allow more natural light to sail into your room. These window treatments are often chosen for offices, commercial buildings, or areas where you want to maintain a connection with your surroundings.
Summing Up
While solar roller shades offer lots of advantages for your home, their specific benefits may vary depending on the material, weave type, openness level, and quality of the solar fabric you choose. So, you should explore different custom options and your specific needs and preferences to select the best solar blinds in your home.
FAQs
What are the disadvantages of solar shades?
Let Light in Through Gaps
Even if you buy solar shades with high UV protection, the spaces between the shade and frame will allow sunlight into your room.
Can’t Provide Privacy at Night
Solar blinds with openness 10% or above will allow passers-by to peep into your private space at night when lights are on in your room.
May Inhibit Light and Ventilation
The tightly woven fabric of solar shades with 1% openness will darken your outdoor living space, while also inhibiting airflow.
Not Real Blackout Shades
Although solar blinds are very effective in filtering UVs and light, they’re not real ‘blackout’ window coverings.
Limited Options in Terms of Color and Pattern
Compared with other window coverings, solar roller shades come in fewer options for color and pattern.
Prone to Damage in Windy Weather
Stormy weather may damage the fragile fabric of solar shades, requiring you to repair them from time to time.
Can people see in your house with solar shades?
It depends. Solar shades are none-see-through from the outside and see-through from the inside during the day. But, at night, if you have a light on inside and near the window, people on the outside may be able to see in through your solar shades.
If you have chosen a solar shade with a high openness factor like 7% to 10%, onlookers will have a full view of the inside of your home. However, this opacity level will allow you to enjoy a lovely view of the outdoors through the closed solar shades.
If privacy is a big concern, we highly recommend a light filtering or a blackout roller blind instead.
What is the difference between roller shades and solar shades?
The main difference between roller shades and solar shades is the material they are made of.
Roller shades are made from a range of textiles, often woven light filtering fabric or vinyl, which can be rolled up or down to control your room’s light and privacy. Solar shades, on the other hand, are made from a mesh material screen designed to combat the sun and block out UV rays without entirely blocking out the view. Solar shades also come with a roll-up fabric, so they are called solar roller shades. In other words, solar roller shades are a combination of solar blinds and roller shades.
When it comes to customization, roller shades offer more options for color and patterns, while solar shades are typically more neutral in tone and texture.
Want to Know More?
Need more information about the benefits of solar shades? Contact our professionals using 24/7 live chat or give us a ring at (800) 863-6109 for expert advice and custom solutions.