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Solar Shades

Solar Shades are among the most versatile window coverings available. Retractable Solar Shades provide energy-efficient sun shading, shelter against bugs and mosquitoes, climate control and rain/wind reduction while allowing outward visibility. Depending on screen fabric selection, our solar shade fabric selections are capable of blocking up to 95% of ultra-violet (UV) rays–saving up to 50% of the energy used to heat and cool homes.

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Solar Screen Shades Block the Sun, Not the View!

Solar screen fabric is available in a wide variety of colors, styles, and openness factors to meet almost any criteria.  These fabrics fall into three categories; dark fabrics, light fabrics, and high performance reflective fabrics, all of which provide:

 

  • Glare Control

  • Heat Control

  • Natural Light Management

  • View through connection to outside

  • Manage Light

  • UV Protection

Why you should consider energy-saving solar window shades: 

  • A solar shade gently filters and diffuses light to create just the right ambience, blocks UV rays, and reduces room temperatures.

  • They come in a wide range of styles and openness levels – the higher the openness factor and the darker the fabric, the clearer your view.

  • You can choose from an impressive collection of fabrics and colors that add style and harmony to your living spaces.

  • Most fabrics are available in wide widths, making them an effective solution for covering large windows.

  • Exterior solar shades can be installed to the outside of your window, porch or patio to offer protection from the sun’s heat and harmful UV rays.

  • You can add motorization to enhance your home’s privacy and safety at the touch of a button – even remotely!

  • Durable and widely used by commercial entities such as restaurants, office buildings and retail chains.

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High Performance Solar Screen Shades

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  • High performance solar screen fabrics are designed to outperform light and dark fabrics when a project requires excellent heat control, glare control, UV protection and view through characteristics.  High performance fabrics like SilverScreen and EnviroScreen have a highly reflective exterior regardless of the room-side color. Metallized high performance fabrics are able to provide low visible light transmittance (VLT) values in combination with low shading coefficient (SC) values, independent of color. Typical light and dark colored solar screen provide a dedicated solution where one or two criteria are required or deemed the most important.

  • For excellent view through and glare reduction select dark colored fabric

  • For excellent heat management select a light colored fabric

  • For view, glare control, heat reduction select high performance fabric

Dark-colored Solar Screen Shades

  • Dark fabrics provide excellent glare control by reducing the visible light that comes through the fabric. Fabrics that block 94%-96% of the visible light provide excellent glare control characteristics, and will absorb some heat and keep it at the window until it dissipates into the room. In applications where passive solar warming and glare control are desired, dark colored solar screen fabrics are optimal.

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  • Higher AS (Solar Absorptance) values mean more light and heat is absorbed,

  • Lower VLT (Visible Light Transmission) values mean less light passes through the fabric, resulting in excellent glare control

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Light-colored Solar Screen Shades

  • Light colored fabrics are more effective at reflecting heat, and allow more visible light into the room. Fabrics that block 80-90% of the visible light are an excellent choice for providing more light where windows are small, and in common areas where a lighter, brighter ambience is desired. Light is filtered, and view through the fabric is similar to a sheer drapery.

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  • Higher RS (Solar Reflectance) values mean lighter colors reflect more heat away

  • Higher VLT (Visible Light Transmission) values mean more daylight is allowed to pass through

WHY Solar Screen Shades work- the science behind the fabrics

  • Solar Screen mesh shades control heat and light, allowing a lower percentage of both to enter the room. Fabric color and density determine the solar/optical/thermal performance of individual fabrics. No single fabric has the precise combination of thermal/optical properties to satisfy every application requirement. The combination of properties of each fabric allow for a perfect match for every application and aesthetic. Your dealer or the fabric expertise of Insolroll’s customer service staff are available to help you make the perfect fabric choice for your needs. The Key Thermal/Optical Factors (see tab below for further explanation)

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  • Ts= Solar transmittance

  • Rs=Solar reflectance

  • As=Solar absorptance

  • Density= Openness factor

  • VLT=Visible light transmittance

  • SHGC=Solar Heat Gain Coefficient

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Solar Shades Block Infrared Rays- We feel them as heat

  • Decrease the heat gain through windows

  • Reduce cooling costs

  • Raise shades to any level to take advantage of solar heat gain in winter

Solar Shades Block Visible spectrum Rays: light

  • Decrease glare

  • Increase visual comfort

  • Keep the view! Like looking through sunglasses- glare is reduced and colors are more vibrant and true.

  • View media, work or relax in comfort

  • Stay connected to the outside world

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Solar Shades Block Damaging Ultraviolet rays (Unseen or felt UV rays)

  • Block up to 99% of harmful UV rays

  • Lower risk of skin cancer and cataracts/eye damage

  • Prevent suppression of the immune system

  • Lessen premature aging of the skin

  • Greatly decrease photodegredation (fading and cracking of home materials and finishes)

Working With Design Professionals

We bridge the gap. Simply specifying a product often does not complete the plan for installation. We work in collaboration with design/build professionals at early stages of projects to review plans, product specification and installation considerations for the wide range of solutions we offer. The earlier we connect the better the outcome. This activity is often done through screen shares with our experienced product specialists.  We also provide on-site consultation to insure things go together as planned. The guidance we provide is free. We also provide full installation and service for our products, including site visits during the build process to network with the general contractor.

Cannot tell you enough how much we are pleased with our shutters. Now that the hot weather is here, we are using them to keep the house cool by lowering the upper shutters during a particularly hot day. We do lower them when there are storms but also if it happens to be a windy and/or cold night. We find that they help maintain the warmth in the house.

Marriam R. Madison, CT

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