Sun blocking screens

[Terry Cano]

Anyone have the Suntex Sun Blocking Screen? Blocks up to 80 % of the heat...so claims the manufacture. Terry

[jmeehan]

Assuming they have not changed anything since I last saw them, Their products are OK, but I they speak with the mouth of a true advertiser. In other words, they make it all sound a lot better than it really is.

It does not really "block" the heat it has to reflect or absorb the heat. Reflection (generally light colored or metallic materials) will reflect much of the heat back towards the source, but some will be absorbed and some of that will end up where you don't want it, so that

80% number is usually optimum and the real life number would be smaller.

Again, my experience, some years ago, was that it was a good product, better than most, but not great.

[dicko]

I dont have that particular brand, but I recently went to Lowes and bought some sun screen for my existing screens.

The screening material is a thicker, strand finer mesh screen. AKA, it has smaller holes in it. This has 3 side effects.

First, you cant see out of it as well. Second, it lets in less air when the window is open Third, when it rains, and water hits it, it holds the water much longer than a normal screen and you cant see out at all for several hours.

Other than that, the windows I installed it in do indeed let in less light, and the room is much cooler.

-dickm

[<Frank>]

I had it installed years ago by an authorized contractor across the side of the house that gets the afternoon sun. High quality material, tear resistant and still looks new. The down side is it blocks some of the outside light and view. My old screen had a better view to the outside. It also block some of the heat but not as much as I had anticipated from the hype.

[Oren]

Ask the company what the _thread count_ is on the screen. More threads block more light/heat.

[Terry Cano]

This is a plastic woven thing, I don&#39;t really think it is a screen per se, it doesn&#39;t replace the screen it is mounted to the window frame I suspect a few inches from the window. Terry

[SteveB]

All "shadecloth" is rated at % of blocking the sun. The % of blocking the heat would, in my opinion, could only be more if a reflective thread, or some heat conductive thread were used. Be careful of the doublespeak.

That being said, I have used a lot of shadecloth. In gardens, the 22% is good because it shades enough that plants that wither in direct sun flourish. I have made sun shades from the 80% cloth over work and play areas, and it let in plenty of light, made it a lot cooler, and lessened harmful UV rays by plain blocking.

The best thing you can do is read up on it and educate yourself, and ask questions like you are doing. Almost anything you can do to reduce sunlight shining on a window will be beneficial. You may achieve the same results with awnings, and not lose any view.

Steve

[Oren]

In the desert they are referred to as "solar screens", woven like you say and are mounted with clips. Turn the clips and remove for cleaning. They don&#39;t interfere with the window. I have them on my house, plus the home before this one.

Couple of pics.. (no affiliation)

[Terry Cano]

Thanks for the info. this house is in Bakersfield CA pretty much the desert there also. Terry