Roller shades are made from a range of textiles, often woven light filtering fabric or vinyl, to control a room's light. Solar shades are made from a mesh material screen designed to combat the sun and block UV rays without entirely blocking the view.
Solar shades can help reduce heat in a window, but they will not block cold. They reduce heat by blocking the amount of sunlight coming into a space, and making the windows more energy efficient. This heat reduction can help you save money on energy costs during the hot summer months.
What Are Solar Shades? Solar window shades (also called sun shades) are roller shades crafted with a specially designed fabric that's woven just tight enough to protect against UV rays while still optimizing your views.
Solar shades are made from a screen-like mesh material designed to block UV rays without entirely blocking the view, while roller shades can be made from a range of textiles, often vinyl or fabric, with the purpose of controlling the light in a room.
When a light is on in the room, people outside will be able to see directly into your home. While a solar shade provides privacy during the day, it will provide no privacy at night. So, in reality the answer is no, solar shades are not “magic” shades that provide privacy during both daytime and at night.
A key factor with screen roller shades is that they are see through. They will provide privacy during the day when it is lighter outside but when the interior is light and it is dark outside they can be seen through.
Contra Vision® White 24/7 Concealed Vision™ is a one way window film that works at night. Most one-way vision films can only provide privacy during the daytime. At night the films become see-through if the inside is illuminated and blinds or curtains are needed.
Solar shades have an open weave fabric that allows light and air to pass through. During the day you can see out but, passers-by can't see in. However, at night the effect is reversed. When the lights are on in your home at night, it makes the shades transparent.
Each solar shade fabric has its own unique openness percentage. These percentages range from 1% to 14%. They tell you the percentage of UV rays that are allowed through the fabric. Fabrics with lower percentages feature a tighter weave, while fabrics with higher percentages have a more “open” weave.
Solar shades are an excellent window treatment option for windows in rooms that are exposed to the sun. Besides simply blocking the light, solar shades also reduce glare, protect against harmful UV rays, and prevent fading from the sun on carpets, furniture, and household surfaces.
Roller shades are perfect for rooms where you want to eliminate outside light. Although we also offer light filtering and room darkening roller shades, we know that many homeowners want shades that eliminate sunlight and the sun's harsh UV rays from entering certain rooms.
Protection from harmful UV rays not only is important for our skin, but it is also important for your home. Carpets, furniture, and many objects in your home are susceptible to the damaging effects of exposure to UV. Too much sunlight will cause colors to fade and can especially harm wooden furniture.
Solar shades. 'They're a new fave,' says Mary Patton. 'I've become more and more interested in solar shades, as they now come in stylish and beautiful options,' Mary explains. 'These are great investment pieces for larger spaces such as a living room or bedroom.
Cellular Shades. Cellular shades, or honeycomb shades, are one of the most energy efficient window coverings you can buy. They use a series of honeycomb-like cell pockets to trap air around your windows, keeping your rooms warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
When solar screens are properly installed, you can expect them to last 10 years or more.
The most important factor to keep in mind when picking out your solar shade is the level of “openness”. This number ranges from 0% to 14% and measures the amount of light that the solar shade will let through and how easily you'll be able to see through the material.
5% is the typical medium openness factor. These shades offer a balance between the benefits of low and high openness factors. They provide protection from the sun's UV rays without making the room too dark.
While you can purchase solar shades with varying degrees of openness, which range from 1% to 17%, when lights are on indoors, people will be able to see into your home. However, at night you will not be able to see out of your home through the shades.
The percentages attached to each solar material (1,3,5,7 & 10%) indicate both the tightness of the material's weave, and how much protection from the sun it offers. Lower percentages mean tighter weaves, less transparency and more UV protection.
A high openness factor (14%) of a solar screen results in the best visibility and significant glare reduction.
The main reason people love sheer roller blinds is that they offer a touch of privacy without blocking natural light. The blinds allow light to filter through the seams of the translucent fabric. This helps to soften the light, reducing harsh glare in rooms like home offices.
Window film for two-way privacy.
Frostbrite frosted window film remains an incredibly popular choice for making clear glass into privacy glass. Once applied, the film gives glazing the appearance of acid etched glass or frosted glass, blocking the view from both sides of the glass without blocking natural light.
Light filtering functionality makes solar shades an excellent treatment option for windows in homes exposed to the sun. Solar shades also protect us against harmful UV rays, help reduce glare, prevent furniture and carpets from fading from the sun.