About Solar Vertical Blinds

Solar vertical blinds are part of a very popular trend in window treatments lately. They are essentially a way of increasing the overall energy efficiency of your home.

Solar vertical blinds are made of fabrics that consist of small cells that retain energy. Initially used in commercial and industrial places as a way of completely keeping heat in and cold out or vice versa, the trend is to now find these solar vertical blinds hanging in personal residences. When closed they act as a seal that blocks out the outside. This allows you to have cheaper heating bills in the winter and cheaper air-conditioning expenses in the summer.

The reason they are so popular is that these shades complete block sun, heat and ultraviolet rays. They are said to be the best shade to use if you want to reduce the amount of glare from natural light on your television screen or computer screen.

However the main reason that people usually want to invest in solar vertical blinds is to keep the fabrics and woods on brand new or antique furniture and rugs from fading. They are very successful at blocking out harmful ultraviolet rays. In fact vertical solar blinds even come in different ratings that are reminiscent of the numbers that are used to rate the SPF factor on sun products. You can buy vertical solar blinds in strengths of 3 percent, 5 percent and 10 percent. The lower the number on the solar blinds, the greater the protection your furniture and air will get from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. For instance if you choose solar blinds with 3 percent protection then you are choosing to have 97% of the sun’s rays blocked. This might be the choice of a photographer or the owner of precious oil paintings that could be destroyed by ultraviolet light.

Of course if you want a little more warmth and vibrancy then you would choose vertical solar shades with a higher percentage rate. For instance the 5 percent rating would let in 95% of the sun’s rays and the 10 percent would let in 90% of the sun’s room. Lower ratings are more ideal for individuals who like to raise a lot of plants, flowers and herbs indoors. Even though you have chosen a lower rating you will still receive a lot of protection from the sun thanks to the cells in the solar slats.

The other great thing about solar vertical blinds is that the manufacturers are moving away from the blah industrial colors that used to characterize all vertical blinds. Now you can get them in shades of green, red, blue and other colors. This is a far cry from the vertical blinds origins as a boring grey or cream-colored window shade for condos and business buildings downtown.