Window Cleaning Time

Why Solar Shades Are The Perfect Window Treatment For A Sunroom With A View

15 October 2018

Lawrence Robinson

Is your sunroom too hot? Is it unusable during the middle of the day due to harsh glares? The numerous windows in your sunroom cause it to act like a greenhouse. All the rays from the sun flood into the sunroom and cause it to warm up during the day. During the summer, this can cause your sunroom to become unbearably hot or cause it to become unusable due to the presence of a harsh glare in the room. In order to fix this problem, you'll need to install a window treatment for your sunroom. One of the best options is to install solar shades, as they allow you to have an unobstructed view to the outside while blocking the rays of the sun and keeping your sunroom cool. If you're unfamiliar with solar shades, here's some information about them and why they're the perfect choice for a sunroom window treatment.

What Are Solar Shades?

Solar shades are mesh screens that partially block the rays of the sun before they have a chance to heat up your sunroom. They also reduce glare. When the sun's rays hit the mesh fibers, the fibers refract the light and cause it to become more diffuse, preventing any strong sun rays from causing harsh glare.

When shopping for solar shades, you'll find that they are listed according to their openness factor. This is the percentage of the surface area of your window that's not covered by mesh. For example, an openness factor of 20% means that 80% of your window is left uncovered by the holes in the mesh. A higher openness factor means that the solar shade performs better when blocking the sun's rays, but it also causes it to obscure more of your view to the outside.

Solar shades come in both exterior and interior varieties. Exterior solar shades are very inexpensive and can be easily installed. They're clamped on to the outside of the window like an insect screen. Interior solar shades, however, give you more installation options. You can install solar shades on a motorized roller that allow the shades to be raised and lowered by a nearby switch, allowing you to easily control how much light enters into your sunroom.

Why Use Solar Shades For Your Sunroom?

Depending on how your sunroom is laid out, shutters can be very difficult or impossible to install. They require some space around the window frame to install the mechanism used to open and close the shutter, so a sunroom with very large windows or with window frames too close together won't be able to accept shutters.

Blinds, drapes and curtains may not match the aesthetic you're looking for in your sunroom. They can be rather bulky, which makes them difficult to match to a modern design. When they're drawn down, they also obscure your view to the outside.

If you love the view that your sunroom has and want to enjoy it during the day while also reducing solar heat gain in your sunroom, solar shades are your best option for a sunroom window treatment. A dark-colored solar shade with a low openness rating will slightly tint your view to the outside, but not block it completely.

Overall, solar shades are an inexpensive way to cool down your sunroom while preserving your view to the outside. They're easy to install and can save you quite a bit of money on your cooling costs during the summer. During the winter when you want your sunroom to warm your home, you can either remove the solar shades or simply keep solar shades on a roller fully raised all winter. If you think that solar shades are a good fit for your home, contact a sunroom window treatment vendor and browse your options. You may also want to look at the shades in a demonstration room in order to determine which color and openness rating best suits your needs. Companies like AAA Blind & Shutter Factory can help.

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