Adding roll-up solar shades to your outdoor spaces will bring many benefits to your home while also increasing the overall value. Some of the main advantages of installing roll-up solar shades are heat & UV protection, glare reduction, privacy & shade control, energy efficiency, and increasing curb and home value. Roll-up solar shades can be installed on a variety of applications such as covered outdoor patios, gazebos, garage doors, and other large openings to block the sun while still allowing fresh air to flow through.
What Are Roll-Up Solar Shades, and How Do They Work?
Roll-up solar shades are window or outdoor coverings designed to reduce heat, block UV sun rays, and keep the space they’re installed on cool. Roll-up shades are typically composed of aluminum extrusions that form a housing and tracks and have a woven fabric that is tight to block sunlight from passing through.
Roll-up solar shades are mounted on or under the header of the opening they’re being installed on with tracks running down on both sides. The fabric that is housed in the unit will retract up and down in the tracks through a remote, wall-switch system, or integrated with a smart home system. Roll-up solar shades will block the harmful sun rays from the space they’re installed on, protecting you and your house guests and making your outdoor space more enjoyable and climate-controlled.
Key Benefits of Roll-Up Solar Shades
Roll-up solar shades will add many benefits to your home and outdoor space, while also increasing the overall value of your home. Roll-up solar shades are typically installed on outdoor patios, gazebos, lanais, garage doors, and other large openings to block the sun and keep the area climate-controlled.
UV Protection
Roll-up solar shades are great for heat and UV protection as they will block 90-95% of the harmful sun rays depending on the material you have installed in the units. Roll-up solar shades will also reduce sun damage to flooring, furniture, and decor of your outdoor living area. You and your house guests can enjoy your outdoor living space without the worry of heat buildup or direct sunlight.
Glare Control
Adding roll-up solar shades to your home will help reduce glare on phones, TVs, and laptops. The glare control from roll-up solar shades will assist in softening the light that enters the space they’re installed on to make it more comfortable for you and your house guests.
Privacy and Safety
With the addition of roll-up solar shades to your outdoor living area, you will add privacy to the space for peace of mind. The mesh material will make it more difficult for onlookers outside of the space to see through when the screens are retracted down, which will make the space feel private and add more safety.
Durability and Maintenance
We understand that the upfront cost of roll-up solar shades can be significant, so it’s of utmost importance to us to deliver a reliable product that is durable and will last the test of time. Our roll-up solar shades are composed of the highest quality materials and are cycle-tested in our facility over 250,000 times to simulate regular use, so you can rest assured that when you invest in roll-up solar shades on your home, it will be worthwhile.
Easy Operation
Technology in the modern day is always evolving and has made it easier to operate roll-up solar shades. The most classic way to operate roll-up solar shades is by remote-controlled operation, but you can also control them through a wall-switch or integrate them through a smart home system such as Google Home or Amazon Alexa. Your Mirage retractable screens dealer will work with you to find the perfect roll-up solar shade solution for your home.
Types of Roll-Up Solar Shades
Roll-up solar shades come in different designs and serve different purposes depending on what your home’s needs and limitations are. Mirage roll-up solar shades are versatile and can be made as manual or motorized options with different materials. Keep reading below to learn more about the different types of roll-up solar shades:
Vinyl Solar Shades
Vinyl solar shades are roll-up shades that are constructed with vinyl material in the housing vs. a traditional mesh material for sunblock. Vinyl material is customizable and will offer full blackout options as well as clear vinyl panels that will allow light to come into the space the units are installed on. Typically vinyl solar shades are installed on commercial applications or restaurants, but they can also be integrated into your home.
Retractable Solar Shades
Retractable solar shades are roll-up solar shades that retract with a mechanism back and forth from their housing when you need to use them. The added benefits of having retractable solar shades are that they are only across your opening when you want them to be, and then they retract back into their housing when you don’t need them.
Woven Solar Shades
Woven solar shades can be a great addition to your home to block the harmful UV rays from the sun and provide shade in the space you install them on. The woven material is designed in a way to block up to 90-95% of the sun and will help keep the space you install them in climate-controlled. The nice part about solar shades is you can roll them back into their housing once the direct sunlight isn’t hitting the opening they’re installed on.
Motorized Solar Shades
Motorized solar shades are a modern solution that can be a great addition to your home. Motorized solar shades are powered by an electric remote and can be operated using a handheld remote control, or wall-switch system, or can be integrated with your smart home system.
The solar shades will offer UV protection and soften the light that enters the space they’re installed in for more comfort. Talk to your local Mirage retractable screens dealer about adding motorized solar shades to your home, they will find the perfect solution for you.
Manual Solar Shades
Manual solar shades are a great addition to an area in your home that doesn’t have running power. Manual solar shades will block the harmful UV rays and help keep the space they’re installed on cool. Manual solar shades are typically operated with a hand crank or chain to bring the shades up and down when you need to use them.
Applications of Roll-Up Solar Shades
Roll-up solar shades are a versatile product and can be installed on a variety of applications for different purposes. The most common applications are outdoor patios or decks, balconies, garage doors, gazebos, and other structures that are in direct sunlight. Keep reading below to learn more about specific applications roll-up solar shades can be installed on:
Patios and Decks
Roll-up solar shades are a great addition to your patio and deck area as it will offer many benefits to elevate the overall experience of the space. Installing solar shades on your patio and deck area will offer protection from the harmful UV rays emitted from the sun, while also keeping the space cool for your enjoyment. The shades will easily retract up and down depending on when you need to use them.
Balconies
Roll-up solar shades are a perfect way to enhance privacy, provide solar protection, and block heat on your balcony space. Solar shades will block harmful UV rays and keep your balcony cool with fresh air circulating through. Turning your balcony space into a multifunctional extension of your home is possible with roll-up solar shades.
Pergolas
Adding roll-up solar shades to your pergola will enhance the space and allow you to enjoy it without the harmful effects of the sun. Keep your pergola space climate-controlled with solar shades as they will block the powerful UV rays that will naturally heat the space. Installing roll-up solar shades on your pergola may be a challenge, but consult with your local Mirage retractable screens dealer and they will do their best to offer you the best solution for your home’s needs.
Poolside Areas
Roll-up solar shades are a great addition to your poolside area that will provide shade, and UV protection, all while still allowing fresh air to flow through. Adding roll-up solar shades will elevate the overall experience of your pool area and will allow you to enjoy the space for longer during the hot summer months while ensuring protection for you and your house guests.
How to Choose the Right Shades for Your Home
Choosing the right roll-up solar shades for your home can be a challenge, but when working with Mirage retractable screens, our dealers will make sure to offer and install the best solution possible for you and your home. There are many things to consider when choosing the right roll-up solar shades for your home, here are a few key things when doing research:
Determine the Purpose
You will need to decide the purpose and what you want to get out of the roll-up solar shades as this will help you decide which application and material you will use. If you want more privacy on your patio space, it would be best to have a 97 or 99-grade mesh material.
If you want to block the sun’s glare and cool your outdoor patio, then it would be best to have a 90 or 95-grade solar mesh installed in the units. Consulting with your Mirage retractable screens dealer will help you determine the purpose and best application for you.
Manual vs. Motorized Operation
Deciding between manual and motorized roll-up solar shades can be difficult, but you need to determine if you need a manual option due to not having running power to the area. The manual option compared to the motorized option will be a similar cost as they’re the same product, except one has an electric motor and the other doesn’t.
Many customers think that they will save a bunch of money going with a manual option, which is just not the case. With motorized roll-up solar shades, you can decide to operate them through a remote control, wall-switch system, or integrate them with your smart home system.
Choosing the Right Fabric
In line with determining the purpose of your roll-up solar shades, you need to decide which is the best fabric option for you and your home. A woven mesh material can be chosen with a 90,95,97, or 99-grade mesh, which will block most if not all of the sun from entering the space while still allowing fresh air to flow through. If you want complete privacy, then we suggest having a solid vinyl material installed, which will completely block the sun from entering the space.
Mounting Options
When figuring out what the best roll-up solar shades are for your home, you will need to determine which mounting option will work best. You have three mounting options for roll-up solar shades to choose from. The first mounting option is surface mounting the units, which would have the housing installed on the surface of your structure with the tracks running parallel on both the right and left sides.
The second option for mounting is in-jamb mounting the units, which would have the solar shade housing installed under the header of the structure, with the tracks running down the right and left side inside the frame. The third option, which you need to plan for before thinking of having roll-up solar shades installed, is recessed mounting.
Recessed mounting solar shades would have the housing and tracks buried inside the structure so you would only see the mesh or vinyl material retract up and down during use with the rest of the unit hidden.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Roll-up shades are good as they will enhance the overall experience of your home while also protecting you and your house guests from harmful UV rays from the sun. Roll-up shades are custom-made to perfectly fit your home and blend in seamlessly.
Yes, roll-up solar shares for outdoors are worth the investment that you pay for them. The upfront cost of the units and installation can be significant, but you will be able to recoup those costs and more when you sell your home, as the roll-up shades increase the value of your home. They will also add many benefits to your home that you and your house guests will enjoy.
Solar shades and roller shades are both popular options to protect you and your home from the sun, but they serve different purposes. Solar shades are designed to block UV rays and reduce glare and are made with screen-like open-weave fabric. Roller shades can be used for UV protection like solar shades, but that isn’t their main purpose and they can be built using various opacity materials for different levels of light protection.
Yes, the material that roll-up solar shades are made of can be seen through. Roll-up solar shades typically are made using a 90 or 95-grade solar mesh which will block 90-95% of light entering, while you can still see through them.
