Enhancing Sun Protection In
The Grand Canyon State
There are pros and cons to living in the Greater Phoenix Area – interestingly, the sun counts as both. Arizona’s sun is beautiful, but too much can harm you and your home.
Knowing how to customize your Scottsdale, AZ, window shades can be a huge benefit. But how can you arrange your window treatments to enhance protection from the sun?
Southwest Blinds & Shutters understands UV radiation’s effects on people and their homes, so we’re offering tips to help maximize your ability to block it better. Below is our helpful guide to keep your house comfortable in the Arizona climate.
How Does Sunlight Affect People
And Their Property?
You don’t need direct exposure to sunlight for it to harm you. UV radiation can affect you through glass – it reduces your chances of sunburn, but doesn’t completely remove the risk.
Specifically, too much exposure to sunlight can increase your chances of developing premature wrinkles and skin cancer. UV rays can also damage your items by breaking down chemical bonds, dyes, and materials.
Bright colors fade and fabrics weaken due to continuous exposure to sunlight. UV rays can even weaken wood by warping it.
Tips and Tricks To Maximize Your
Home’s Sun Protection
You can add a blackout lining to your existing window shades. Blackout linings are opaque fabrics that reflect and block sunlight. Woven wooden shades are a specific example of how this technique works.
These shades usually offer soft light filtration, but you can upgrade them with blackout linings to block most sunlight through your windows.
Drapery, Solar, and Blackout Roller Shades
You can install drapery over your existing blinds to strengthen the barrier between you and the sunlight. Materials like cotton, silk, and linen are the best choices for better sun blockage.
You can also use solar or blackout roller shades. Solar shades are woven, screen-like roller shades designed to block UV rays while allowing some natural light to filter through. Blackout roller shades use thick, opaque fabric to block most light from entering a room.
DIY Window Film
Homeowners can use DIY window films to help reduce sun exposure. Window film is a thin, adhesive material you can add to glass to increase its UV protection. Installing window film is easy enough, as long as you have the right tools and patience.
However, window film can be expensive. You can get lower-quality films for less, but the better-performing materials can become costly.
Making Considerations For
Window Placement
Specific windows in your home receive more sunlight depending on their location. East and west-facing windows experience more direct sun exposure because the sun travels from east to west during the day.
Consider thicker materials, like cotton or silk, to keep out the sun. Solar shades are also an effective way to block sunlight through east and west-facing windows.
Northern-facing windows in your home often don’t get as much sunlight, so you don’t have to worry much about layering window treatments, swapping window shades, or installing window films.
South-facing windows receive plenty of sunlight, especially in the winter, so UV-blocking window treatments may be helpful. Ideally, you’ll base your choice of window treatments on what will block the sunlight best and your personal style preferences.
Southwest Blinds & Shutters: Providing
Purpose-Made Window Shades
You can layer your existing window treatments or purchase new ones to help protect you and your home from the sun. Your window placement also matters.
East, west, and south-facing windows often get plenty of sunlight. These areas need special attention to block the excess light they allow in your home.
Southwest Blinds & Shutters provides and installs high-quality window treatments that are purpose-made for the harsh, hot Arizona climate. You can guarantee our window shades will keep excess sun from blasting into your home.
Are you ready to upgrade your window treatments? Call us or visit us online to schedule your free consultation today!
