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Exterior Sun Control
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The most effective way to control the sun's heat and glare is to stop it before it enters your
window. Once the sun's rays enter they are absorbed and begin to radiate throughout the
room in the form of heat. Much like a big shade tree, exterior shading will help reduce your
cooling costs, reduce the load on your air conditioning, and will help reduce glare and fading.
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Solar Skylight Shades
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Our Solar Skylight Sun Screens really reduce heat and glare without shutting out the light.
Your energy savings alone will pay off in a season or two!
Our solar screens are made of durable Phifer SunTex material.Skylight Sun Screens install
easily, hold securely, and can be readily removed for cleaning or seasonal use.
Ask your SunBlox estimator about installing Solar Screens on your Skylights. We can install Solar Screens on your Skylights on your home as well as find solutions for commercial buildings .
SunBlox can fabricate and install sun screens for all of your skylight needs. Our skylight sun screens are custom made to the measurements of your skylights and will fit any size or shape skylight. |
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Exterior Roll-Down Shades
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SunBlox roll-down window shades are great to use on your lanai, decks, patios, porches, balconies,
storefronts, and sun rooms. All of our exterior rollup sun shades are made with the
Phifer exterior solar screen material of your choice, so that you can block sun from windows as much
as you like, when you like. You tell us what material, how wide and how long, and we custom
make the roll-down sun shade screens for your home or office. |
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Interior Sun Control
For many types of windows, controlling the sun's heat and glare on the interior with
roll-up window shades is the most practical way. While these roll-up sun shades are
slightly less effective than exterior shading, interior sun control
methods allow a variety of ways to control the sun and light while, at the same time,
enhancing even the most sophisticated of interior decorating schemes. Phifer's interior
shading fabrics, described here, offer exciting new alternatives to ordinary window fabrics.
Phifer interior shading fabrics are durable, meet or exceed requirements for flame retardancy
and are virtually maintenance free.
See photos of roll-up window shades here.... |
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Exterior Solar Screens
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Exterior window shading treatments are effective cooling measures because they block both
direct and indirect sunlight before it enters windows. Solar shade screens are an excellent
exterior shading product with a thick weave that blocks up to 90 percent of all incoming
sunlight before it enters the windows. The screens absorb sunlight so they should be used on
the outside of the windows. From the outside, they look slightly darker than regular
screening, and provide greater privacy. From the inside many people do not detect a difference.
Most products also serve as insect screening and come in several colors.
SunBlox solar screens can be removed in winter months where full sunlight is desired for the colder days.
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Exterior Window Shutters
There are edge-encapsulated exterior roller shades that may not be as susceptible to the
problems presented by exterior window shutters.
Hinged decorative exterior shutters which close over the windows are excellent shading
options. However, shutters obscure the view, block daylight, can be expensive, are subject to
wear and tear, and can be difficult to operate on a daily basis. Refer to the
Florida Building Code, Building volume before investing in these devices.
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Interior Window Shades and Shutters
Interior shutters and shades are generally the least effective shading measures because
they try to block sunlight that has already entered the room. However, it is the least
expensive choice to the home builder because interior shading is usually provided by the
home buyer. The most effective interior treatments are solid window shades with a reflective surface
facing outside. In fact, simple white roller blinds keep the building cooler than more
expensive louvered blinds, which do not provide a solid surface and allow trapped heat to
migrate between the blinds into the building.
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Overhangs
Overhangs shade direct sunlight on windows facing within about 30 degrees of south.
Overhangs on east and west window are ineffective unless they are as long as the window is high.
Keep in mind long awnings should be adequately designed for typical hurricane wind loads.
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What Others Say
"It is far better, for heat gain prevention, to block the sunlight before it reaches the window, thereby
dissipating the absorbed heat outside where it can be carried away by the air currents.
This means that simple shade trees and other exterior shading methods can be very effective,
both in saving air cooling energy and in blocking the strong glare which direct sunlight can produce
if allowed inside."
"If the homeowner is considering window film, it is important to realize that some window
manufacturers void their warranties if window films are applied to their products.
The main reason is that most window films accomplish their solar glare reduction by
absorbing solar radiation inside the film, causing it to heat up. Some of the heat in the
film will conduct to the glass on which it is applied, causing this glass to expand. If it
expands enough, stresses can build up in the window and cause it to fail, most often through
a shattering of the glass."
(Choosing the Best Residential Window Options for the
Florida Climate - Guide for Florida Homeowners, R. McCluney and P. Jindra,
Florida Solar Energy Council, 2002, pp. 3 & 15)
Shading Coefficient
When looking for window treatments that will block out the hot sun, you'll want to consider
the "shading coefficient" of different alternatives. The Shading Coefficient is a measure of
the ability of the window treatment to reduce the solar heat gain. The lower the number, the
less solar heat will enter your home and the lower your cooling or heating bills will be.
For instance, honeycomb cell shades and wood or faux wood blinds are better at energy
conservation than roller shades or aluminum blinds. Keep in mind that interior window
coverings such as honeycomb shades, wood blinds, and faux wood blinds reduce solar heat most
effectively if the surface facing the glass is a reflective color like white.
Solar screens, patio shades and skylight shades mount on the exterior and can be removable, retractable, or stationary. These energy saving shades provide excellent visibility while blocking up to 90% of the heat before it reaches the window surface. Solar screens have many benefits, especially for homeowners wishing to save on their utility bills.
Energy Conservation
SunBlox solar screens save energy...
SunBlox solar screens offer an easy and practical method for improving the energy efficiency of windows and glass doors.
In the summer, most unwanted heat gain comes in the form of sunlight radiating through unprotected glass. This glass is a building's most vulnerable area for heat gain. In fact, 60 square feet of glass can admit as much as 12,000 BTU's of heat each hour requiring one extra ton of air conditioning (East Facing, 8a.m., Latitude 40° N.).
Controlling this solar heat gain is extremely important in energy conservation and passive solar design.
Phifer SunTex is a specially woven exterior solar screen that blocks up to 90 percent of the sun's heat and glare before it reaches the glass surface.
Sun Control
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Solar Screens are the leading choice for sun control among architects, builders, and homeowners. Unlike interior window treatment, like drapes, blinds or even double glazing (which can absorb and then reradiate the sun's heat), Solar Screens absorb and dissipate up to 90 percent of the UV rays, heat, and glare before it reaches the window. |
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