Installing solar shades in your home can drastically impact your energy bill, especially during the summer months, by limiting the amount of sunlight and heat entering your home, keeping it more climate-controlled. When you properly utilize solar shades in your home, you can expect a 10-25% decrease in the cost of your energy bill, which can be significant for some and will help justify the cost of installing solar shades. Depending on the size and quality of solar shades, you can expect an estimated payback period of 3-7 years when you account for the reduction in your energy bill.
Why Energy Efficiency Matters?
Cost Savings
Making your home energy efficient with solar shades will save you money on your monthly electricity bill. Solar shades are a great way to reduce the amount of heat and light exposure that enters your home, keeping it climate-controlled and not reliant on using your air conditioning system, which will consume energy. When you install solar shades in your home, you can expect the cost to be paid back through a lower energy bill in 3-7 years, depending on the size and quality of the shade.
Environmental Protection
Solar shades aren’t just good for your wallet; they’re also an underrated way to make your home more energy efficient and environmentally responsible. Solar shades will help block heat and sunlight from entering your home, which can reduce your use of an air conditioning system that runs on electricity generated from fossil fuels. Solar shades can typically decrease your energy consumption by 10-25% which translates to roughly 200-500 lbs of C02 emissions avoided per household per year.
Energy Security
Solar shades don’t just reduce your energy needs and emissions – they will also contribute to energy security for your household. Energy security is about having a stable and reliable energy supply without being overly dependent on fuels, grids, or volatile energy prices. Solar shades strengthen this in subtle but powerful ways.
Improved Comfort and Well-being
Installing solar shades in your home will improve comfort and overall well-being for you and your family. Solar shades will help to control the climate and sunlight entering your home, depending on the time of day and weather. You won’t have to worry about sun glare while enjoying your morning coffee, or having to rely on your air conditioning to keep your home cool when you have solar shades installed and ready to use.
What are Solar Shades, and How Do They Work?
Solar shades are specialized window coverings designed to reduce heat, glare, and UV radiation from the sun entering your home. Unlike blackout blinds, solar shades allow natural sunlight into your home while blocking the harmful components. Solar shades will help to naturally control the climate in your home by reducing the heat and sunlight entering. Solar shades can be made using different grades of solar material that can block various levels of sunlight depending on your needs. Solar shades can be installed on the interior or exterior of windows, depending on which application works best for your home’s configuration. Installing solar shades on your home will deliver year-round benefits – from lowering energy bills to protecting your home and family from harmful UV rays.
How Solar Shades Reduce Energy Bills
Lower Indoor Temperatures Naturally
Solar shades will naturally lower indoor temperatures by intercepting solar radiation before it can convert into heat in your home. In simple terms, solar shades will limit sunlight and UV rays from entering your home, which will reduce the amount of heat emitted and limit your need for air conditioning in your home.
Reduce Air Conditioner Load
Because solar shades will block the sun from entering your home, you will naturally require less from your air conditioning system due to the climate in your home being more stable. Reducing your use of air conditioning in your home will also reduce your energy bill, saving you money each month when you use your solar shades to block the sun from entering your home.
Blocking Solar Heat Gain
Solar shades will also assist in blocking solar heat gain in your home. Solar heat gain is the transfer of energy through your window, skylight, or door and emitting it into your home. The glass can also increase the heat gain in your home as it magnifies the energy, causing your home to warm up. If you effectively use solar shades in your home to block the sunlight, you will reduce the solar heat gain.
Lowering Energy Consumption
Solar shades will reduce the energy consumption in your home as they will help keep it climate-controlled and lower your use of air conditioning. Solar shades can also help warm your house up if that is your intention, by allowing sunlight to enter your home and helping the warm the space, which will require less need for you to use your home’s heating system.
Insulating Properties
Solar shades primarily provide thermal control by blocking and reflecting solar radiation, which prevents heat from entering the space they’re installed on. Solar shades can also offer minor insulating effects, as they will create an air barrier that will slow the conduction of heat in the area they’re installed on. Solar shades can also provide minor draft reductions if they are installed snugly within the window frame.
Best Placement for Maximum Energy Savings
Exterior-Mounted Solar Shades
Mounting solar shades on the exterior will be effective for energy savings, as they will block the sunlight and heat before it hits the glass. Exterior-mounted solar shades will act as sun control systems that can be mounted on the outside of windows, patios, porches, or exterior walls. When you install solar shades on the exterior of the opening, you will dramatically reduce the amount of heat that passes through, as it will block it before it hits the glass and enters the space.
Install on Sun-Exposed Sides
Installing solar shades on the sun-exposed sides of your home – typically the south and west sides – can reduce energy expenses, increase comfort, and protect the interior of your home from sunlight damage. The sun-exposed sides of your home will receive the most amount of sunlight and heat throughout the day, making them an ideal spot to install solar shades.
Combine with Indoor Shades or Curtains for Layered Insulation
When you combine solar shades alongside curtains in your home, you will create a layered insulation barrier that can increase the effectiveness of both sun-blocking solutions. This will result in lower energy use, reduced temperature from natural sunlight, and will create a climate-controlled and comfortable space in your home.
Motorized Options Allow Automation of Opening/Closing Based on Sunlight
Installing solar shades with a motorized option will add modern functionality to your home and can be automated to ensure effectiveness. Solar shades with motors can be linked up with smart home systems to run on timers to drop the shades during the time of the day with the most sun exposure, and then raise the shades back up once that time of the day has passed. Automation will allow you to not worry about manually dropping the shades themselves, and let you focus on other things, while the solar shades will automatically do their job. Talk to your contractor or local Mirage dealer about motorized and automation options for your solar shades.
Looking to Cut Energy Costs and Stay Cool?
If you are interested in reducing your energy bill while still keeping your home cool and climate-controlled, then installing solar shades in your home can be a great addition. Mirage retractable solar shades are a premium product that will help reduce your energy bill and keep your home cool. Mirage solar shades are highly customizable, as you can select the exact size, color, mounting type, and operation type that will work best for your home’s needs. Mirage solar shades are installed through our professional network of businesses across North America that will assess your needs and offer you the best solution possible at a fair price. If you are ready to get a quote or learn more about installing solar shades in your home, please visit this page and fill out the form.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Solar shades are great at blocking or limiting the amount of sunlight that enters your home, which will naturally keep your energy bill lower. You can expect a 5-25% reduction in air conditioning costs when you regularly use solar shades to block sunlight.
Solar shades will work better for blocking sunlight and heat from entering your home when they’re installed on the outside of your home. The reason for this is that when you block the sunlight before it hits your glass windows, it is much more effective at reducing the amount of heat that transfers into your home, though installing solar shades inside your home is still a valid option.
No, solar shades won’t make your home too dark. You can choose between different densities of solar material to determine what the best solution is for your home. The tighter the weave of solar mesh material, the less light will enter your home.
Yes, solar shades will be effective in the winter to reduce glare and light from entering your home. The temperature-controlling effects won’t apply as much unless you live in a hot climate during the winter months.
Yes, there are automation options you can have installed to lift and drop your solar shades on a timer for maximum efficiency. You can also connect most electric solar shades with your smart home system to control them through that as well.
