Here's How You Can Use Solar Shades to Reduce A/C Costs

August 9, 2016

If your cooling bills are through the roof, you may be trying to think of practical ways to keep your home cooler without breaking the bank. Programming higher thermostat temperatures when you are at work saves energy, but it doesn't solve the problem of too much heat energy collecting inside your home. Read on to learn how solar shades offer practical solutions to high cooling bills and can keep you more comfortable.

Benefits of Solar Shades

You are probably aware that your sun-facing rooms heat up more than the other rooms in your home. This is largely due to solar heat gain. Solar heat gain is simply the process of the sun's energy entering your home through your windows. The energy turns into heat and has no way to escape. Solar window shades offer you a practical way to limit the amount of sunlight entering your home to counter the warming affects of direct sunlight. Solar window shades are installed on the outside of your home's sun-facing windows. The shades effectively block a high percentage of the sun's UV (ultraviolet) rays, depending on the level of tint and UV protection. By blocking UV rays, you may expect to gain the following benefits, rather than gaining too much heat!
  • If you are handy around your home, you may install solar window shades from a kit.
  • Solar window shades cost less than replacing your inefficient windows with higher-efficiency Energy Star-qualified windows.
  • The shades may be removed during the winter time and easily stored.
  • They are available in several different colors, lengths, and widths to match your tastes and window sizes.
  • Solar window shades don't completely obstruct your view, so you may still see outside.
  • The shades give you extra privacy during the daylight hours.
  • Solar shades may be used for patios and outdoor living spaces.
  • You also have the option of installing motorized shades for quick adjustments.
To learn more about saving energy and improving home comfort with solar shades, please contact Lozier Heating & Cooling today. We've helped Central Iowa homeowners improve home efficiency and comfort with unmatched HVAC services since 1906! Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Des Moines, Iowa area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). Credit/Copyright Attribution: "OpenClipart-Vectors/pixabay"