Outdoors At Home A blog about home living, especially outdoors.

If you’re in the market for some new solar screens or you just need to replace some of the ones you have, now is the time.  There are great deals to be had on these functional pieces of home improvement hardware.  They are actually quite simple to install as well.  With a little bit of ingenuity and some technical skills, you can pull it off.  Depending upon how many windows you have to cover, you can probably tackle the job in half a day.  That is to say, it will probably take you about 4-6 hours to put them up yourself.  If you are replacing older ones, then the job is much easier.  If you are either installing them on a new window or have to make them fit right, then plan on a fair amount of time longer.

Installing these screens is a process that will take some time, but that time will pay you dividends for years to come.  These screens are nothing more than fine mesh material that is stretched within a metal frame and then that is mounted on the exterior of your windows.  These block a significant amount of the sun entering your home, while still permitting you to see outdoors.

In this regard, they serve two purposes:  protection from the sun and privacy.  And, since we’re talking about the protection from the sun elements, let’s not forget that they are both great for reducing the heat gain within your home and also for protecting the furniture and other fabrics inside your home from the effects of the ultraviolet rays.  By reducing the amount of sun penetrating into your home, the temperature can remain cooler and your utilities will not have to work as hard.  This will save you money and will also save the environment from any unnecessary electrical demands.  These work in a similar fashion as solar shades.  Solar shades are often used as a synonym for these screens, but the shades can actually be like a blind or a roll down style.  Shades work much more like a typical blind inside your home.  They are often better at blocking the light and for more added privacy, but are not as beneficial for blocking the heat from building up inside.

Related posts:

1. Choosing Window Dressing Accessories
2. You Can Effectively Block out Light with Blackout Shades
3. 4 Ways to Cool Down Your Kitchen
4. Designing a backyard deck
5. Pool Covers