Solar Shades For Heat Reduction | Orlando Motorized Shades

Is Your House Too Hot? Solar Shades Can Help Reduce Interior Heat

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Does the arrival of the height of summer cause you to feel resigned to uncomfortably hot rooms – especially on really sunny days? If so, your windows may have a high degree of heat transference or heat transfer. Heat transfer happens when air temperatures are different inside and outside the home. Warm air from outside travels through the glass to heat up the inside of the home. The transference is even greater when the sun is shining right into the room.

Your go-to solution might be to lower the thermostat so your air-conditioner kicks in and counteracts the extra heat, but that’s an expensive solution over time and it’s not effective unless the A/C is actually running. A more effective long-term solution is to install solar shades on those sunny windows.

Solar Shades Keep Rooms More Comfortable

Solar shades are created with special fabrics that actually block UV rays and sunlight. Instead of entering your home through the windows, the sunlight and heat are reflected back into the atmosphere. This helps the room to maintain a more even temperature and prevents UV rays from damaging flooring and furniture. These specialty shades also reduce glare and provide light control. Solar shades are see-through from the inside. So you will be able to enjoy the view, just without the glare or heat!

Solar shades can be used in residential and commercial settings to help regulate room temperature, reduce air-conditioner use, or maintain privacy.

We often recommend solar shades to our customers who:

  • have south or west-facing rooms
  • need to reduce glare in a home office or business setting
  • want more privacy, but still want to see outside

Solar shades can be motorized for added convenience. This feature is particularly helpful if managing sunlight is your main concern. The shades can easily be opened or closed as the sun moves across the sky to help you take advantage of the sun’s natural heat to warm up a chilly room or prevent that heat from making the room too hot.

Create A More Functional, Comfortable Environment With Our Solar Shades

As always at Orlando Motorized Shades, every order is customized to your specifications. Your solar shades will be tailor-made to your window size, your preferred color, and style, and with any add-ons, you desire such as cordless lift or motorization. Arrange a free consultation to learn more about our solar shade options by calling (407) 977-0886 or schedule online.

Energy-Saving Window Treatments | Orlando Motorized Shades

Beat The Heat This Summer With Energy-Saving Window Treatments

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The Florida summer is just getting started. If you’ve already noticed an increase in your A/C usage and energy bills, you’re not alone. Your HVAC system accounts for about 40% of your utility bill and for every degree setting below 78°F, cooling costs rise by as much as 8%. Relying on the air-conditioner alone to keep your home cool can become very costly, very quickly.

Reduce Heat Transfer For A More Comfortable Home

There are passive ways to keep your home more comfortable and when used in conjunction with your HVAC system, they can also help you rein in your energy costs. One of the most effective ways to reduce interior temperature levels is to prevent heat from getting in the home in the first place. The thermal transfer of heat through windows is one of the biggest sources of heat infiltration. If you can block the sun’s rays from entering through the window, you can better manage the home’s interior temperature.

Energy-Saving Window Treatments

Orlando Motorized Shades offers a variety of energy-saving window treatments that will help keep your home more comfortable year-round. The best choice for your home will depend on the amount of sun you receive through a particular window. South-facing windows with no shade will have the highest amount of heat transfer, while north-facing windows or windows protected by a porch or deep shades will have less heat transfer. Our three top product options for reducing interior heat are:

  1. Solar Shades. Solar shades are made of special materials that filter and diffuse light to block UV rays and reduce room temperature. They are available in a classic roller shade design and are best for sunny windows.
  2. Cellular Shades. Cellular shades utilize a honeycomb design to trap heat in between pieces of fabric, reducing heat transfer.
  3. Energy-Saving Materials. We offer hundreds of fabric choices and colors in energy-saving materials, which means you can design custom window treatments in any style you choose and still reap energy-saving benefits.

Schedule a Free In-Home Consultation Today

Orlando Motorized Shades offers free in-home consultations to help you design custom window treatments that will keep your home more comfortable and reduce your energy bills.

Contact us at (407) 977-0886 or schedule online today to start feeling more comfortable before the summer really heats up!

Motorized Window Coverings Are The Best Way To Reduce Solar Gain

Motorized Window Coverings Are The Best Way To Reduce Solar Gain

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Even the U.S. Department of Energy agrees, motorized window coverings or “operable window coverings”, to use DOE terminology, are a smart way to reduce solar heat gain, control your energy bills, and make your living areas more comfortable all year round.

Why is this? Because motorized window treatments make it so easy to open, close, and adjust window coverings to maximize or minimize solar heat gain throughout the day or time of year.

Windows and Energy Consumption

According to the DOE, 30% of a home’s heating and cooling energy is lost through windows and the vast majority of sunlight that enters through windows, even double-paned windows, becomes heat. This is fine if you live in a cold climate and can use that extra boost of heat, but it’s not so great in our already warm Florida environment.

Motorization makes it possible to get more out of your window coverings by helping to support whole home comfort.

Set Schedules and Operate Remotely

Orlando Motorized Shades is proud to offer Somfy myLinkTM  motorized control systems. This system can be added to just about any kind of window treatment, including new blinds and shades or any that you may have already existing in your home. The scheduling functions allow homeowners to set schedules and even manage their window coverings remotely. This is a no-nonsense way to work with Mother Nature to keep your home comfortable year-round.

Set the timer to:

  • Open or close the window coverings for privacy or to maximize daylight
  • Take advantage of warming sunlight during the winter daytime hours
  • Prevent the hot summer sun from entering your home during the day
  • Control the amount of light and solar heat that comes into the home any time of day, any time of year

Put Motorized Shades To Work For Your Home

Motorized shades and blinds are efficient, convenient, and effective for both homes and businesses that need to reduce solar heat gain. Schedule an on-site consultation with Orlando Motorized Shades to learn more about motorized window treatments by calling (407) 977-0886 or contacting us online today!

Motorized Shades | Solar Shades | Solar Heat Gain

Reduce Solar Heat Gain With Motorized Solar Shades

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Windows are a must in homes and business buildings. They let in light, fresh air, and allow those inside to see what is going on outside the four walls. But they can also be a tremendous energy hog, accounting for as much as a 30% loss in heating or cooling energy due to solar gain.

Solar gain, or solar heat gain, is the term used to describe the increased temperature of a space due to solar rays or solar radiation. If you notice a significant increase in a room’s temperature on a sunny day, you’ve got solar gain. Here in the Sunshine State that can drive up energy usage and send cooling bills soaring.

Fortunately, there are ways to reduce solar gain that don’t involve buying new windows or blocking out the sun entirely. Solar shades are one option.

Solar Shades Let Light In But Keep Heat Out

Solar shades look like a traditional roller shade, but the material that they are made of is designed to allow light to enter the building while blocking UV rays, glare, and heat. Those inside the building can still see out, but anyone outside will have a hard time seeing in.

The weave of the fabric determines the shades opacity as well as how much heat it lets in. Fabrics with a dense weave reflect more heat, reduce glare the most, and let in less light than fabrics with a lower weave density. Orlando Motorized Shades carries a wide variety of solar shade fabrics that allow property owners to choose the amount of light they want to let into their buildings.

Motorization Supports Energy Savings

By adding motorization to solar shades, home and business owners can realize even greater energy savings. Motorized shades open and close at the push of a button making it easy to let in light or prevent heat gain. Our motorization system operates via remote control or phone app, so you can set a schedule for the shades to raise and lower or even manage shades when you’re away from the home or office! There is no better way to manage privacy, natural lighting, or to fight solar heat gain!

Schedule an on-site consultation with Orlando Motorized Shades to learn more about motorized solar shades for your home or business. Call (407) 977-0886 or schedule online today!

Bedroom Window Treatments | Blackout Curtains | Orlando Motorized Shades

Rest Easy With Orlando Motorized Shades’ Bedroom Window

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Sleep is so important for our physical and mental health, yet 45% of Americans report that poor sleep affects their daily activities! One reason for this may come down to the bedroom environment. A dark environment is essential for a good night’s sleep, but too many of us have devices in our rooms that emit a blue glow all night or have light coming in through the windows all night.

Orlando Motorized Shades can help you sleep better with our bedroom window treatments! Blackout shades, room-darkening curtains, and programmable, motorized window treatments can all keep your bedroom dark when you need it to be.

Create A Sleep-Worthy Environment

After great pillows and a comfortable mattress, appropriate window treatments are a must-have for a restful bedroom. Here are some options:

  • Light-Filtering. Light-filtering window treatments diminish harsh light but still allow some outside light to come into the room. If you live in an area that doesn’t have a lot of street lights, light-filtering roller shades, drapes, or curtains may darken your environment just enough for you.
  • Room-Darkening. Room-darkening window treatments make a room noticeably darker than it is outside. If the late summer sun bothers you or if you live in an area that has a lot of buildings or street lights that are on at night, room-darkening blinds or curtains will block much of the external lighting so you can rest.
  • Blackout. The darkest of dark window treatments, blackout window treatments prevent any light from getting through. They are a must-have if you work at night and need to sleep during the day or if you need a very dark room in order to get some sleep.
  • Motorized. Our motorized blinds and shades are perfect if you have trouble sticking to a sleep routine or prefer to wake up naturally with the sun. A programmable system allows you to determine when your window treatments will open and close, so you can set it to open the curtains at sunrise and wake up gently instead of to a blaring alarm.

Explore Bedroom Window Treatments At Orlando Motorized Shades

We have hundreds of colors, styles, and fabrics to choose from to make your room a restful retreat. Schedule an in-home consultation today to learn more about our bedroom window treatment options!

Contact Orlando Motorized Shades at (407) 977-0886 or schedule online today!

Window Treatments For Bathrooms | Bathroom Shades

Window Treatments For The Busiest Room In The House: The Bathroom

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One of the most overlooked areas of the home, as far as window treatments are concerned, is the bathroom. Maybe it’s because we don’t traditionally think of the bathroom when we think of redecorating our home or maybe we simply leave whatever was in place when we moved in up simply out of the necessity of needing to use that room from Day One. For whatever reason, it seems like the bathroom window treatments are more of an afterthought than well thought out.

That doesn’t have to be the case. Just about any window treatment will work in a bathroom. Here’s a look at some ideas.

Popular Bathroom Window Treatments

  • Roller Shades. The classic roller shade is a popular choice for the bathroom thank to its inconspicuous design. Roll it down when you need privacy, roll it up to let in the light. Today’s modern styles features colors, designs, and patterns for an attractive window covering that looks great all by itself. Mildew-resistant materials add to this product’s suitability for the bath.
  • Roman Shades. For a romantic, modern feel, you can’t go wrong with Roman Shades. These shades can be adjusted for privacy and are available in more fabrics, colors, and designs than you can imagine adding a touch of flair to the bathroom windows.
  • Blinds.Wood and faux-wood blinds are a popular choice if you want to control the amount of light that comes in the bathroom and maintain privacy with a classy look and materials that resist mold, mildew, and warping. Blinds are among the easiest of window treatments to clean. Simply wipe them down with a damp cloth.
  • Solar Shades. Solar shades offer privacy and filter light so you can get ready in the morning in daylight without putting on a show for the neighbors. These are particularly recommended for south-facing windows as they prevent UV rays from entering through the window and heating up the room.

Update Your Bathroom With New Window Treatments

Just like every other room of the house, style, function, and personal preference will all come in to play when choosing bathroom window treatments. Some people prefer room darkening features like those offered by privacy shades, others like to have filtered light in the bathroom or easy-clean, mildew resistant materials. Whatever your personal preference, Orlando Motorized Shades can help you find the perfect window treatment for the bath. Contact us at (407) 977-0886 to schedule a free in-home consultation for your new bathroom window treatments.

Popular Shade Styles | Which Shade Is Right For Me?

What Motorized Shades Are Right For Me?

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Motorized shades are an increasingly popular window covering choice. They’re convenient, less expensive than blinds, easy to operate, and available in enough styles, materials, and colors to complement any home décor.

When they meet with us, many people are surprised by just how many different kinds of shades are available at Orlando Motorized Shades and wonder which ones are best for them. With that in mind, we thought a quick overview of each type of shade could help you make your choice.

All About Shades

First things first, shades are solid pieces of fabric that filter or block light from entering through a window. They can provide privacy, filter or block out light, and roll up to the top of the window to store tidily away when not in use. At Orlando Motorized Shades we offer shades in many different materials from cotton or polyester to linen. Special coatings are available to help resist stains, make cleaning easier, and to help the shade retain its shape.

Shade Types

Orlando Motorized Shades offers five different types of shades – and each one can be motorized for added convenience and functionality! Learning more about each style’s characteristics can help you choose what style is best for your needs.

  1. Pleated Shades. Pleated shades are a clean, classic choice. Consisting of just one single piece of fabric that is pleated in accordion-style, these shades are the perfect privacy provider for any room. Different colors and materials allow in different amounts of light.
  2. Cellular Shades. Cellular shades are made up of two pieces of fabric that are glued together, making them thicker than pleated shades. The design of cellular shades features several open “cells” in between the two layers. These cells trap air between the two layers of fabric, helping to regulate indoor air temperature by preventing heat transfer between the room and the window.
  3. Honeycomb Shades. Honeycomb shades are similar to cellular shades but instead of one layer of cells, there are two layers. This makes them an extremely good choice if you want energy-saving window treatments.
  4. Solar Shades. Solar shades are made of special fabric that prevents UV rays and heat from entering the home. These shades look just like the roller shades your remember from the past – a single layer of thin fabric, but are better at keeping out the sun. They are a great choice for south-facing windows and warm climates in general.
  5. Roman Shades. Roman shades are defined by their elegant folds. Some designs have a permanent folded bottom, others have multiple folds which disappear into one another as the shade is raised. Roman shades are typically made from light and airy materials, which gives them an elegant look even when folded, but reduces their light blocking and energy efficiency capabilities.

Shop All Of These Shade Styles At Orlando Motorized Shades

The best way to decide what shade style would work best in your home is to schedule a consultation with Orlando Motorized Shades. We can bring samples of each shade style and hundreds of fabric options right to you. Shop for the perfect shade in the room where they will be hung! There’s no easier way to pick the perfect shade.

Call (407) 977-0886 to arrange a free on-site consultation today!

This Summer, Screen Out The Sun With Solar Shades

This Summer, Screen Out The Sun With Solar Shades

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Solar shades are very popular in Florida – with good reason! They block sunlight and UV rays from coming inside your home or business while still allowing you to view out. These versions of roller shades are mounted inside the home or business to effectively reduce glare and heat gain, and provide daytime privacy. They are not the same thing as outdoor shades or sun shades, which are often made of a thicker canvas-like material and are mounted outside the home.

How Do Solar Shades Work?

Solar shades look like any other type of light-filtering shade, available in hundreds of different fabrics and colors, but they function a bit differently. The difference is in the material. Solar shade materials reflect and/or absorb heat instead of allowing it to pass through into the room. This has the effect of keeping rooms cooler and reducing energy costs while still allowing light to pass through. They’re effective in residential and business settings, particularly if you do a lot of work near windows and are bothered by glare or heat transfer. The motorized operation makes it easy to raise and lower the shades throughout the day, as needed.

Solar Shades Block The Sun, Not The View

One of the things customers love most about solar shades is that unlike thermal or blackout shades, you can still see outside and you still get some natural light exposure. The flip side of this is that people outside the building can see inside, but only at night. That is something to be aware of as you consider solar shades for your windows.

Shopping For Solar Shades

When shopping for solar shades, you’ll want to consider the orientation of your windows, your performance needs, and weave density.

  • Window Orientation. What direction do your windows face? South and west facing windows receive hotter, more direct sun. You may want a more reflective or heat absorbing fabric on these windows than on east or north facing windows.
  • Performance. The type of fabric you choose determines the performance of the shade. Some materials can reduce heat gain better than others. Others are better at allowing filtered light through. Still, other materials are better for reducing glare. Decide which features are most important to you and use that to guide your fabric choices.
  • Weave Density. The weave density or “openness factor” indicates the amount of open/closed space in the material. Fabric with a low openness factor (OF) is more densely woven, providing more reflective benefits, and letting less light through. A high OF rating lets in more light, but won’t provide as much filtering or heat reflecting functions.

If solar shades are something you think would work well for your windows, contact Orlando Motorized Shades to explore our solar shade selection and get a quote.

Call (407) 977-0886 to arrange a free on-site consultation for your home or business.