Living in Southern California, people should be concerned about the amount of UV radiation they are exposed to every day. The good news is that you can limit the amount of UV light entering your home with San Diego Solar Shades.
Solar Shades vs Roller Shades
Solar shades are similar to roller shades in that they both have a low-profile, no-frills appearance. There are no slats or pleats. Rather, both solar and roller shades are made by rolling a piece of fabric around a hollow tube. The fabric is pulled down to cover the window, or the fabric is retracted to allow for more light entry.
Beyond that, solar shades and roller shades are significantly different:
Material: Solar shades are made with a mesh-like material that specifically blocks out UV rays. In contrast, roller shades are made with material that blocks out light.
Opacity: Solar shades are translucent; meaning you can see through them. This is because the material is weaved like a mesh or screen. The material filters out UV rays but does not filter out the light. In comparison, roller shades range from sheer to “black-out” because the material can be fabric or vinyl.
Colors: Solar shades tend to be solid and neutral in color whereas roller shades can be vibrant, neutral, or have patterns.
In general, solar shades are not recommended for bedrooms and bathrooms where privacy is important. But they are great for living spaces where you might want to limit UV exposure. Solar shades are rated by their “openness”. Openness is a measure of how tightly the material is woven. An openness of 1% means that the shade will block out 99% of the UV rays. Typically, solar shades have 1%, 3%, 5%, 10%, or 14% openness where 14% allows the most UV rays to pass through.
Need more information about the benefits of San Diego solar shades? Please contact Q Blinds. We offer free, in-house consultation: (844) 776-5884.