Solar shades reduce glare and block harmful UV rays from entering your home while maintaining an open view of the outdoors. This type of window treatment helps to keep interior temperatures more relaxed and protects furniture, carpets, and paintings from fading.
Since these shades are see-through, you’ll want to consider your privacy needs at night when outsiders can see into your home with lights on inside. This is why choosing a fabric with a lower openness percentage is essential.
Light Control
Protect your skin, drapes, and furniture from harmful rays while reducing home cooling costs with sleek solar shades. Choose from on-trend wood tones, neutrals, and brushed metals for coordinated aesthetics that work with any decor.
Solar shade fabrics are woven and coated to block out sunlight without blocking your view. Their opacity levels range from sheer to room-darkening and blackout, with various openness percentages allowing varying amounts of light.
Consider shades with lower openness percentages, like 1% or less, for maximum privacy. This allows you to see through your window, but you need more clarity of view with higher openness ratings. Carefully measuring your windows and ensuring accurate installation helps you achieve a flawless fit that reduces energy waste and creates a polished look.
UV Protection
Solar shades Ocala FL are a unique window treatment in that they offer UV protection while preserving the view, reducing glare, and controlling heat buildup in the summer. They are available in various openness levels and are designed to filter natural light into your home.
They reduce fading on interior furniture, curtains, floors, and artwork and are energy efficient by blocking solar heat and reducing solar rays that enter the home. They are also available in various styles, colors, and opacities to complement any decor.
Fabric openness or opacity determines the level of privacy, visibility, and light control you will enjoy. Exposure is based on the tightness of the fabric’s weave and ranges from 1% to 14%. A higher openness factor offers more transparency and a clear view outside, while lower openness factors provide more privacy.
Aesthetics
Solar shades reduce glare from sunlight, creating soft, flattering illumination that’s easier on the eyes. These window treatments are available in various styles and colors to coordinate with any decor. They can also be customized with a cordless lift option to meet window treatment safety standards for homes with young children.
Shades with openness factors of 10% or higher feature a loosely woven fabric that allows filtered views and natural sunlight into spaces during the day. Adding an operable liner to a woven shade can offer more privacy when needed, especially at night when indoor lights are on.
Style options include a contoured valance for a refined aesthetic and a cassette lift system that conceals the roller headrail for a clean look. Motorization upgrades are also available for an added touch of convenience and luxury.
Privacy
Solar shades offer excellent privacy during the day by blocking UV rays while maintaining your view of the outdoors. However, they can be challenging at night when passersby can easily see into your home.
Consider layering your exterior solar shades with drapery to help reduce light leakage during the night. This will add a level of privacy and also soften the appearance of your solar shades when they are open.
When choosing your fabric, be aware that solar shade fabrics have different opacity levels. This affects the amount of daylight and UV protection you will enjoy and how much of your view remains. The opacity level of your solar shades should be based on how vital sun control and privacy are to you.
Energy Efficiency
Solar shades are an excellent choice for homeowners looking to reduce glare, protect against sun damage, and save energy. They come in various colors, opacities, and styles to fit any decor. They are also available in corded, motorized, safe options for children.
When selecting your fabric, consider the openness factor, which reflects how tightly woven your shade is and how much light it allows. A lower openness factor means a tighter weave and less transparency.
For example, a 1% openness factor shade will allow very little sunlight to enter, while a 5% openness fabric will allow more light than a 1% openness fabric. This can significantly impact your privacy level. Choose a material that is right for you.