Solar shielding needed-- I ordered some roller blinds

18 years ago

With the high cost of energy these days I just had to get some sunscreen rollers with the silver screen material for windows on the East-South/East side of the house. The Silver screen has a solar reflection RS of 70% and allows only 4-6% of the UV in depending on color. It has a 5% openness so it still lets you see the outside forms so your not totally blocked off from the outside. This open weave fabric is not to be used where complete privacy is needed.

We were attracted to JC Penny's 50% off add but that was a joke. At first they make you think you have to buy them just that weekend or the price goes up. But if you really say you have to wait they will tell you the next sale is in a few weeks. What a scam. And the price for a window was like 800$ full price so 50% off was still 400$. We also looked at the little blind stores in the strip centers all over town but they must have a huge markup. I finally found this website and ordered all 14 windows from them. They are in Colorado and ordered them from there. They have a very reasonable price and I spent at least 30 minutes the first time on the phone when I ordered samples of the material. The samples arrived in about 2 days. the samples are really to small like 1"x3" but I don't think a 2'x2' sample would help me decide any better. I ordered over the phone as I just wanted to be sure of the fits.

http://www.shadesshuttersblinds.com

I will let you folks know how they install and look when I get them in a couple weeks.

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Comments (5)

dan_dhrt
18 years ago
Are these to fit on the inside or the outside of the windows? I can't tell from your posting.

From my knoweldge, exterior solar shades are so much more effective becuase they block the most of the UV rays before they ever hit the window.

Yes, if exterior, those prices sould very high. The one's we obtained from EZ Snap cost under $3 per square foot, hardware included. We love them. The link below is from our blog where we show a 15 degree F drop in the temperature reading from the portable guage inside our south facing family room window.

Yes, we can still see very well out from inside the room. How well? I just this weekend installed these on the window inserts of our French Doors leading out to the deck and when my wife returned home she didn't even notice.

I went to the web site and I think these are exterior as well so good for you. The price seems a higher than the manufacturer we used but your's I think has many color options whereas ours did not.

Dan

Here is a link that might be useful: Exterior Solar Blind Experience
elkski
Original Author
18 years ago
I had to go with inside the house installation. Why? I get winds over 50 mph for many days many times per year and a neighbor measured 100 mph twice before his indicator broke. Plus some of the windows are up 10- 25' I guess you could install them down for summer but in winter we like the warmth.
Still waiting on the blinds.. let you know how they do when I get them installed.
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elkski
Original Author
18 years ago
Not sure why I haven't received the roller shades I ordered may 21st.them yet??? I thought it was only a 2 week deal?? Called today and should ship today.. hmmmm So if they arrive Thursday that will be almost 4 weeks.. Good thing it has been a cold spring.
dogitnice
18 years ago
elkski, Did you ever get your shades? I am looking for something very similar. What is your experience with this company?
elkski
Original Author
18 years ago
Well shades shutters and blinds has been very good to deal with and I think the price was good but maybe a better price is out there?
My problem is with the company that makes the blinds. I think they are comfortex. out of the 14 windows. 3 or 4 had the silver side of the material on facing the room on the valance cover!!! instead of the Beige...I still need to get that fixed. Shades shutters and blinds wanted me to send any problem blinds back but that doesn't seem economical as all I need is some new material covers.
3 blinds in a room with 6 have about a foot or more longer draw chain. I need to get this fixed as there is a chair rail in the room and some line up with that and some don't. I swear the plastic chain is not adjustable as it seems to have been welded together?? I have been busy so these problems have been on the back burner but I do need to tackle them. The other issue was just that some of the valance material covers didn't fit very well. I have trimmed a couple of them to fit better.
Basically the more expensive valance cover is a plastic housing that has some slots in it so a material strip about 2" tall and the width of the window can look good and hide the roller. Comfortex takes a strip of the material and puts some clear sticky backing material on it so it is thicker and more stiff and then inserts it in the top and bottom slot. IF it is just the right size it lays against the plasic curved surface. Several of mine were to to tall so that the cover poofs up away from the plastic by 1/8" to 3/16". I might add these to the reorder or try to trim them by hand. I am not sure how easy it will be to cut a straight line for 30+ inches. IT would seem that a factory would have a machine that would cut these the exact height that is needed as this dimension never changes on each valance and then some real square cutter to trim the ends to the correct length. some ends were crooked and my kids could have done better.
That said they are fairly easy to install if your windows are square and the results of less heat in the room are dramatic. Only thing I wish is that I could clap my hands and all the blinds would go up or down by themselves. they only require about 3-4 pulls to move the blinds 6' up or down.