People often talk about the natural light as a reason that they purchased their home. Once they have moved in their furniture and started living there, they may realize that the light often glares off their screens or that the UV rays may damage upholstery or other items in the home. If you want to achieve light control or reduce glare without sacrificing the views from your home or the enjoyment of the light, solar shades may be a suitable option for all your needs.
Solar shades are made from openly woven fabric that can give you benefits like reducing UV damage, reducing glare and even lowering your energy bills while still allowing you to look through them. Solar shades are available in lighter and darker fabrics and are rated for openness:
- High Openness: These typically have an openness of around 14% and reduce glare while maximizing the view.
- Medium Openness: These have an openness around 7% to 10% and can prevent some UV damage while still allowing some viewing.
- Low Openness: These generally have an openness of 5% or less and block more UV. Because of the reduced openness, the view is also diminished.
Lighter colored solar shades can reflect heat while still illuminating the room some and providing a hazy view. To further preserve the view or to reduce glare, darker options may be better. One important note to make is that solar shades are best suited for public-facing rooms like kitchens and living rooms (or in businesses like restaurants). They may not be suited to use in bathrooms and bedrooms because at night, the “view-through” feature is reversed, and they may it easier to see into your home rather than easier to see out. This issue is easily addressed with additional window treatments if desired.