Many people have strong opinions about the shades and blinds they use on their windows. They might find cloth shades to be boring and ugly. Or they might find that some shades, even though they are meant to be stylish, aren't very useful. While the style of the window treatment you install partially depends on your decor preferences, it also has to do with functionality.

On some windows (or maybe even throughout all of the windows in your entire home) homeowners will want to have shades that can completely black out a room. On the other hand, many people are just more concerned with the style of their window treatment, and functionality comes second. For these homeowners, solar blinds will be a perfect solution. This article explains what solar blinds are and how they can be best used.

Styles

Solar blinds are usually roller style, with a pull cord and string. However, there are also blinds that have no string and instead use quick release, which makes them more desirable. Both of these products will basically look the same, except of course for the absence of the string.

Openness

Solar blinds are usually made out of a fabric that runs horizontally across the opening. This fabric is weaved very loosely so that it doesn't block out all light. Of course, there are different levels of shade provided by solar blinds. Most brands will state the "openness" of their product on the package. Openness is usually a small percentage, less than 50, which explains what percent of light is let through. The lower openness percentage, the darker blind will be.

It is probably better to go darker if you are looking for protection from the sun. The darker blind provides more shade, keeps the room cooler, and also stops UV rays from fading fabrics inside your home or under your windows. If you feel that the blind is too dark when it is fully down, you can partly pull it up to let more light in. The great thing about solar blinds is that they allow you to see out of them quite easily when it is light outside. At the same time, when viewed from outside the home, blinds provide a lot of privacy, even though they don't perfectly black out the window. The only time the blinds will be see-through is if it is dark outside and the lights inside the home are on.

Solar blinds are stylish and functional solutions window treatments that are particularly popular in hot and sunny windows. When you look into window installation for your home, be sure to consider solar blinds among the other options you have available.

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