When you install a sunroom in your home. the desire to do so normally comes from the urge to spend time in the sun. but on your own terms. The enclosure allows you to avoid the bugs and pests of the outdoors and to control the environment’s temperature. Tinted or glazed windows will reduce the strength of the sunlight that comes through. and often the majority of the sun’s harmful rays as well. However. they don’t give you as many options for controlling the light that enters the room as sunroom shades do. And after a few weeks or months of enjoying your new sunroom. you may discover that you would like to be able to control the amount of light that actually enters the room at different points in the day. Just as you have curtains or window treatments on the other windows in your home. you can find ceiling shades. sunroom light control for the skylights in your room. a number of options to create a curtain for sunroom windows. sunroom window blinds or other sunroom window treatment options. These various shades and window treatments will give you the ability to control the light and heat that enters the room exactly to your comfort level and specifications.
Getting Ceiling Shades Sunroom Style
If you have skylights in your sunroom. then ceiling shades. sunroom style. are designed to fit into the existing frame of your window. If you purchase the shades from the same company that created your sunroom. then the sunroom window treatment that you choose should already be available in the size and shape that you need. If not. or if you had your sunroom custom-designed to your own specifications. don’t worry. You will still be able to find shades to meet your needs. In these cases. you might find that there are no pre-built tracks to accommodate the shades. This isn’t a problem. It just means that the company that installs the shades will need to install stripping to act as tracks for the shades. The fabric that is used for these kind of ceiling shades will be important in the resulting ability to control the amount of heat and light that is allowed to pass into the room. You will want to ask the manufacturer about the different fabrics that they have available. Certain fabrics will stop different levels of light and heat. For example. if you just want to cut down on the amount of glare in the room. you’ll want a fabric that stops 20 to 30% of the light. But if you want to be able to totally block out the sunlight coming through your skylights. ask about midnight shades. When paired with windows that have the right kind of glazing. these shades can block up to 99% of the light entering through the skylight.
If you have a solarium type of sunroom. such that the entire ceiling is made of windows. some of which are oddly shaped or curved instead of flat. you can still find the shades that you need. The shades will likely need to be custom-fit to your particular windows. creating the right shade for each individual window shape. The shades are designed to have tension so that they will stay flat against the glass and not droop down. However. you will need to decide when designing your sunroom window blinds. which ones you will want to be moveable and which ones can be stationary.
Control Options for Sunroom Window Blinds
Sunroom window blinds can be moved and controlled by a number of different methods. The simplest and least expensive method is by manually manipulating them by a cord pull. handle. or a telescopic pole that you use to reach the track in order to push them open or pull them closed. However. you can also have the shades motorized. If you choose to motorize them. you have a variety of options for controlling them. They can either be hardwired into the power supply of your home or powered by individual batteries. They can be controlled by switches mounted to the wall or by a remote control device. There are also some automatic motorized options. such as blinds that have a sensor in order to open or close automatically at dusk and dawn. Of course. the more complex your shade system gets. the more expensive it will be. And if you do select motorized shades. you will need to account for the eventual costs associated with servicing or replacing the motor.
However. not every sunroom window treatment needs to be so complex. For the lower windows that do not receive direct sunlight throughout the day. you may find that a curtain for sunroom windows is enough light control. If you want to keep the look airy and light. be sure that you select fabrics that are lightweight and give a ‘breezy’ feel. But if you are concerned about privacy or being able to block more light from coming in. you will want to consider sunroom window blinds. That way you can lower and raise them as needed to keep your sunroom feeling comfortable and private.
Andrew Caxton is the author and editor of many resources published at http://www.allsunrooms.com. For additional information regarding sunroom furniture or wicker furniture go to wicker sunroom shades