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Enhance Your Home Comfort with Calgary Solar Shades

Calgary summers are stunning, but those long sunny days can bring unwelcome heat and glare into your home. That’s where solar shades, a stylish and practical window treatment, step in. Solar shades offer a happy medium between enjoying natural light and room darkening, maintaining a comfortable living space. Let's explore how solar shades work and if they're the right choice for your Calgary home.

Enhance Your Home Comfort with Calgary Solar Shades

Understanding Solar Shades

Solar shades are made from a special woven fabric that allows some light to filter through while blocking out heat and UV rays. Think of them like sunglasses for your windows. This woven design sets them apart from traditional blackout shades, giving you a view outside while still providing significant protection from the sun.

How Solar Shades Work

The magic of solar shades lies in their ability to reflect and absorb solar energy before it enters your home. The tightly woven fabric reduces the amount of heat and light that passes through. This effect is especially noticeable in rooms that face south or west, where the sun’s intensity is strongest.

Many factors contribute to the performance of solar shades, including the type of fabric, the color of the shades, and the openness factor. By understanding these elements, you can choose the window treatment that best suits your needs. Fabric composition plays a crucial role in both performance and aesthetics. The most common fabric used is a blend of polyester and PVC.

Consider a fabric made with recycled materials for an eco-friendly option. Some solar shade fabrics, such as those that have undergone GREENGUARD Gold testing, meet stringent standards for indoor air quality.

  • **Openness Factor:** This refers to the percentage of open space in the weave. The lower the percentage (for instance, 1%), the more light filtering roller shades block. 1% solar shades are quite effective at reducing glare and providing privacy during the day. A higher percentage (such as 10%) offers greater visibility and a more connected feel with the outdoors, at the expense of some sun blockage.

Knowing that solar shades have cords, it's important to take precautions, especially if you have children or pets. Luckily there are many cordless options, including motorized classic roller shades for added child and pet safety.

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The Advantages of Solar Shades for Calgary Homes

  • **UV Protection:** Protect your furniture, artwork, and flooring from harmful UV rays that cause fading. Solar shades act as a shield, preventing those damaging rays from reaching your valuables and extending their lifespan.
  • **Glare Reduction:** Enjoy movies without annoying reflections on the screen or work from home without battling eye strain caused by glare on your computer. Solar shades make a real difference in rooms with electronics, especially for rooms requiring total darkness.
  • **Energy Efficiency:** Keeping your Calgary home cool in summer can be a challenge. Solar shades contribute to a cooler indoor environment by blocking a significant amount of solar heat. You'll notice a difference in the temperature of rooms with solar shades. Reducing heat gain can also translate into lower energy bills.
  • **Privacy While Maintaining Views:** You don’t have to sacrifice natural light or views for privacy. With roller shades, you get to enjoy the best of both worlds — enjoying the scenery outside while preventing prying eyes from looking in during daylight hours. Remember, visibility through roller shades decreases at night, especially with blackout roller shades.
  • **Stylish and Versatile Design:** Solar shades complement various interior design styles, from contemporary and minimalist to traditional and eclectic. Available in a wide range of colors and textures, you'll find solar shades that perfectly suit your home’s decor. Looking for a modern finish? Explore options like aluminum compact cassettes or a square fascia. If you prefer a more traditional look, PVC valances with fabric inserts offer a timeless appeal.

The Advantages of Solar Shades for Calgary Homes

FAQs about Solar Shades

Do solar shades really work?

Yes, solar shades are highly effective at reducing glare, heat gain, and the sun's harmful UV rays. The tightly woven fabric is designed to deflect and absorb solar energy, providing a noticeable difference in your home. They use high-quality materials for a superior finish.

What are the disadvantages of solar shades?

While solar shades provide excellent benefits, there's one thing to keep in mind—they don't offer complete privacy at night. If you need nighttime privacy, consider pairing solar shades with curtains or drapes for an added layer of coverage. A blackout vinyl roller shade is great for nighttime privacy.

Can people see through solar shades at night?

Solar shades lose their daytime privacy advantage once the sun sets. If your windows are illuminated, people outside will be able to see in, much like with standard window coverings. This is because they are light filtering roller shades. It is recommended to use other window treatments along with the solar shades for privacy at night.

Can neighbors see through solar shades?

Just like at night, visibility depends on the level of light difference between indoors and outdoors. If it's brighter inside your home than out during the day, some visibility will occur. During daylight hours, the view-preserving nature of solar shades will work in your favor for privacy, making it harder for neighbors to see in. This changes when the sun goes down.

"We met with the sales manager Ali , he was very knowledgeable and helpful. The blinds are manufactured locally. We ordered bedroom blinds and bathrooms blinds on that day. The blinds were installed 8 days later by Satnam. He was excellent, very tidy, knowledgeable and quick. The bedroom blinds are solar powered with a remote control. We were very happy and impressed with the service and quality of the blinds. We strongly recommend this company. The pricing was very reasonable."

- Vanessa and Nick

Conclusion

Solar shades are an intelligent window treatment choice if you live in Calgary and want to make your home more energy-efficient. They're all about finding a comfortable balance—letting in soft, natural light while mitigating the less desirable effects of the summer sun. Solar shades help you to enjoy those breathtaking Calgary views. You deserve a comfortable and stylish living space, so think about if solar shades are the best fit for you. They are perfect if you decide to match other window coverings like curtains or blackout roller shades.

Did you know Met Blinds also carries Roller Blinds, Solar Shades, Motorized Blinds and Smart Blinds?


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