When the temperature rises, so do your energy bills. Homeowners are always on the lookout for proven ways to help lower their energy bills. Consumers are facing a great deal of economic uncertainty, and saving money has been on everyone’s minds lately. Finding even modest savings can pay big dividends in the long run. Finding energy efficiency in one’s own home can be a great way to seek out those opportunities to save. One product that is often considered a great way to improve the comfort of the home and also ease the burden on the homeowner’s wallet is installing solar screens. 

So what are solar screens, and can they really lower your energy bills enough to make a difference? Read on to find out more…

What do Solar Screens Do?

Solar window screens are designed to block and reduce the UV rays coming into your home. They are special mesh window screens that fit over the exterior windows and sliding doors of your home. Their unique ability is to help absorb the heat coming off from the sun to help regulate the temperature in your home. 

For a more engaging breakdown on solar screens and how they are made, you can read more about them in this informative article. These specialty screens work well on windows facing the east or the west. Another great feature of them is that they are removable if you want them to be. This allows homeowners to remove them during the Winter season, should they so choose.. They can also be left as a permanent installation on your home’s windows & glass doors. 

Another feature of screens is that they can also provide a little privacy for homeowners, as they are darker than most standard window screens. Using them can also bring an unexpected benefit of lowering the glare on your TV screens. Installing these screens over your window also helps add lifespan to your furniture or framed artwork that may be sitting in direct sunlight. The reduction of the sun’s damaging UV rays helps prevent these items and others from wearing or fading. Another benefit of solar screens, like regular window screens, they can also keep pests and bugs from getting into your home. 

Solar Screens Compared to Window Film

Both solar screens and special window film give the same benefits of blocking UV rays. Either product has the potential to lower your energy bills. It comes down to preference. Window film or tint is a permanent option, and gives a little more privacy from the outside world. This special window film does not typically provide as much energy efficiency as a solar window screen. Additionally, when you open a window treated with window film, you no longer have the benefits of the added energy efficiency. Screens continue to provide value, even when the window or door might be open. Window film is also more expensive to install than solar screens. 

Solar screens are also a bit more customizable and can often be built to match the framing of the home’s existing windows. Window tint typically has fewer options on color choices. Window tint is only a very thin film applied to the glass. After years of weather exposure and normal use, window film will have to get replaced. If you replace your windows, you will have to get all new film installed. With solar screens, you can simply remove the screen. If you find that a screen is damaged, repairs can be made to the screen and they reinstall easily. If you are simply getting new windows installed and are not changing the size, you can reuse them. 

Overall, if reduced utility bills are your highest concern, solar screens will most likely be the best option. 

Energy Cost Reductions with Solar Screens

Now, let’s get down to the biggest reason why people get solar screens, their utility bills. In place of installing all-new windows or air conditioning, screens are a far cheaper option to help keep your home cool during warm weather months. In Texas, Nevada and Arizona, it is reported that homeowners in those states have saved up to 33% on their bills. For a more numerical breakdown on energy efficiency of solar screens, you can read through the data.

Since the screens block the UV rays, this means your home stays cooler, regardless of the outside temperatures. By keeping your home around 15 degrees cooler with solar screens installed versus going without, you will also be more comfortable in your home. Who doesn’t love the sound of that?

Now For Some Cons

No good thing comes without weighing the potential negative implications as well. Some homeowners simply do not like the “opaque” look of solar screens when viewing from outside the home. In order to block harmful UV rays, they also block much of the normal light transmission as well. This means that solar screens can be harder to see through, from both inside and outside the home. If the need for increased energy efficiency and reduced utility bills outweigh the aesthetic, then solar screens might be right for you. Otherwise, you may want to put some additional thought into your choice of solution.

Another downside to screens is that you will have to keep up with the product warranties. As an example, with hail damage, most home insurance policies will cover your screens, but that is not always the case. If you’ve recently experienced hail, you’ll want to have your screens reviewed along with items like your roof. If you hire window cleaners, you may also find yourself paying a few dollars more for the elbow grease they will have to put into working on your windows. 

Talk With The Experts

At the end of the day, if your main focus is keeping the heat out, solar screens are a great option. Sit with a window screen professional and get more information specific to your home and needs. The Glass Guru can help educate you on the available screen options suitable for your home today.