Solar Screens Conserve Energy

Whether your home is new and you are looking for ways to conserve energy, or your existing home is in need of new window screens, solar screens are an excellent way to enhance the exterior beauty of your home. Solar screening protects your furniture, as well as your carpet, from the sun's harmful high-temperature UV rays. Unlike tinted windows or window film, solar screens block these harmful rays before they reach the windowpane. A solar screen is like having a shade tree in front of your window. However, the screens allow full visibility outside with the comfort of privacy on the inside.

The concept of solar screens is quite simple. They shade the window from the sun thus keeping the window from absorbing and retaining heat. Thus, the heat does not transfer to the interior of the home from metal frames or window panes. By shading the window, solar screens will keep your house much cooler which makes a significant improvement in your air conditioner's efficiency. With these screens, some estimates place the reduction in your utility bill up to 40%.

While screens may be installed on the inside of the window, the most efficient solar screens install on the exterior of your home. With the screens on the exterior, the heat that is not immediately deflected will be absorbed by the screen while a major portion is dissipated into the surrounding atmosphere. Solar screens on the exterior also eliminate the need for covering windows in the winter time as the insulating techniques work year round. The installed screens help to hold the heat that is generated in the interior of your home.

Solar screens also block glare very effectively. The problem of glare that normally appears on television screens or other parts of a room will be solved immediately.

While solar screens are available in many different colors to match the exterior of most any home, keep in mind that the darker colors are most efficient and also offer the best view. Since solar screens save energy, they normally will pay for themselves within a very short period of time through the reduction in your utility bills. Once installed, solar screens will be a welcome addition to your home that will provide satisfaction for many years to come.

Faux Wood Blinds are Better

Blinds have become a popular choice of new homeowners for their window treatments. And like other window treatments, blinds come in many different styles and colors. While wood blinds are a beautiful choice, they are not always the most practical for many homeowner's situations.
Thus, to overcome some of the limitations in the use of wood blinds, many homeowners choose faux wood blinds.

Faux wood blinds become a better choice for a number of reasons. They are designed to exhibit the look and feel of real wood. They are easier to clean and maintain. They are a much better choice in places of high humidity such as a bathroom or laundry room because they will not warp, mold or mildew like real wood blinds. After some wear, wood blinds show nicks and scratches unlike faux wood blinds. They are also available in many color choices which enable you to match most any decor. Faux wood blinds are almost impossible to distinguish from the real thing. And last but not least, they are much less expensive than real wood, which may be a particularly important consideration if you have a lot of windows to cover.

The slats of faux wood blinds are made in two different blends. Composite, slats are made from a blend of PVC and wood pulp. PVC, slats are made of just PVC. These blends of material make for long-lasting durability as well as beauty and allow the blinds to be much lighter than their natural counterparts, which make them easier to install and remove for cleaning. Don't get hung up on which blend to buy, there is no evidence that one is better than the other, it's just the process choice of the manufacturer.

Once you decide on a slat size and color, you now must decide whether to mount the blinds inside the window frame or outside. Inside mounts would be a good option if you have decorative or painted window casings, or if you’d like to pair your faux blinds with curtains. Outside mounts cover the entire window, including the casings and would be a good option for a room with small or abnormally shaped windows.

Finally, you must decide whether to measure and install the blinds yourself, or have them professionally installed. This is a moderately easy DIY project that can be accomplished by most homeowners. If you decide to measure yourself, use the following methods. When measuring for inside-mounted blinds, measure the height and width to the nearest 1/8 of an inch. For externally mounted blinds, measure the height and width to the nearest 1/8 of an inch, but ALSO allow for an extra 1 1/2 inches for each (height and width) to ensure privacy. Follow these tips and your faux wood blinds should provide you with the use and beauty you desire for many years to come.