Outdoor Curtains vs. Blinds: Best Sun Protection for Abu Dhabi Homes
AL Baraka Curtain offers two excellent options to protect your home from the sun at this time of year. It will all depend on the house type and style you want to give it. Still, to protect it from the sun and ultraviolet rays, the curtain should always be facing outwards, as it will absorb the maximum temperature and prevent this process from occurring inside.
Outdoor Roller Blinds vs. Conventional Outdoor Curtains
First, you can opt for an outdoor roller blind, where the recommended fabric should be Polyscreen or Soltis. Polyscreen is a high-durability PVC-coated polyester fabric that is very strong and flexible. Depending on its different opening degrees, it will provide more or less comfort, thermal protection, and visibility. Soltis, conversely, is a microperforated fabric made of high-durability polyester yarn that offers different degrees of openness, comfort, thermal protection, and visibility but is more durable and tear-resistant than Polyscreen.
In any case, the external roller blind must have a system of guides or steel cables to hold it in place so it does not blow away in the wind.
Secondly, you can opt for a conventional outdoor curtain. In this case, the fabric must be acrylic and solution-dyed, with good light fastness so that sunlight does not fade. It is important to have a water-repellent treatment to prevent fungus. You can also choose more natural fabrics, such as linen, but always light-colored, as they are not cleaned and sunlight quickly fades their color. The most suitable for these cases are curtains with a flat structure, more or less wavy, according to the customer’s taste.
Depending on the space, these curtains can be placed on facades and outdoor pergolas, held in place with aluminum rails or decorative bars. They always have to be moved manually. They are a good option to give your home warmth, freshness, and an attractive aesthetic while protecting it from the sun and heat.
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Aesthetics, functionality, and sun protection of curtains
The screen fabric stands out because it allows natural light to enter and maintains the privacy of the room in which it is placed. Therefore, it is perfect to be seen even if it is not visible so that you can enjoy the view without being exposed from your living room. Due to the structure of PVC-coated polyester or fiberglass and the different opening degrees, the curtain fabric can create various environments, from the brightest rooms to the most welcoming darkness.
The optical performance of the fabric depends on its degree of openness, which is determined by its plot. In particular, the size of the pores varies from 1%, the most opaque, to 10%, the brightest.
All these characteristics make the curtain fabric the star of sun protection in the curtains field. By preventing ultraviolet rays from entering the interior, it protects furniture and other fabrics, such as carpets or upholstery, from deterioration due to sunlight.
In the case of metal curtain fabrics, the outer face repels the sun’s rays and acts as a real wall. This is all without a lack of variety of colors, which makes this type of curtain an ideal decorative element for any space.
Too much sun on your windows in summer? 5 simple and effective solutions
Enjoying a bright home is ideal, but direct sunlight all afternoon can make summer extremely hot, forcing you to use air conditioning constantly. Here are five simple and effective solutions to reduce sunlight and keep your home cool.
Sunlight is natural and beneficial for physical and mental well-being. However, in the summer, especially in the afternoon, windows and balconies exposed to direct sunlight can significantly increase the temperature in the room. At AL Baraka Curtain, we offer various resources to help you a lot this summer.
Simple and effective solution for windows and balconies that get a lot of sun
The products that can be used filter and block the entry of sunlight, avoiding, or at least reducing, its impact on the room’s temperature and the deterioration of furniture and furnishings.
Blackout curtains are ideal for completely blocking outside light, creating a dark environment. They are effective for not sleeping in the morning light and keeping the house cool during hot afternoons.
There are also solar protection vinyl or films for windows that are glued to both sides of the glass. These films reflect a large part of the ultraviolet rays and reduce heat transfer from the outside to the inside of the room. This is a great option when you do not have the budget to replace all the glass.
Filtering glass is very attractive because it has a special film that reduces heat absorption and transfer, keeping the environment cool without blocking natural light. Although it requires an initial investment, it helps reduce electricity and gas bills in the long run.
Filtering glass is not only good for summer; it also does not let the cold in. Although you must invest to buy and install them, they reduce your monthly electricity and gas bills.
Increase wellness and savings with these solutions for sunny windows
Sun Protection Vinyl
Solar protection films or sheets for windows are applied to both sides of the glass to reflect some of the UV rays and thus reduce heat transfer from the outside to the inside of the house. Some products have dark or colored finishes that block the view of people outside the house (passers-by, neighbors, etc.) and increase privacy in the domestic environment. When installing solar control windows instead of glass is out of your budget, these thermal insulation films for windows are an attractive alternative.
Solar control glass
Solar-filtering glass, often sold as ‘Solar-E,’ has a thin coating on its surface that reduces heat absorption and heat transfer, helping stabilize the indoor climate. This benefit does not come at the expense of indoor lighting.
These glass panels, which do not allow heat or cold to pass through, are an excellent investment in energy, as their installation positively impacts electricity bills. However, it is advisable to learn about the difference between low-emissivity and solar control before purchasing glass, as consumers tend to confuse these features.
Curtains with insulating properties
Although it may not seem very complicated at first glance, installing a simple curtain can block up to 80% of UV rays, especially in the case of thermal insulation units. This feature is usually achieved by adding a thermal lining to one side of the fabric, which gives the product more weight and drape, which can reduce annoying air flows at the window without an effective seal.
Depending on the manufacturer and the specifications of the curtain, it is estimated that it can reduce the temperature inside the building by more than five degrees. During the rest of the year, these curtains provide an effective service, as their design protects against frost and cold drafts of the autumn and winter months.
Adjustable Slat Blinds
With the arrival of summer, blinds take center stage, but even the most traditional models can prove inadequate when it comes to protecting against the sun’s rays. Insulating blind slats ensures more efficient control of natural light while also providing a thermal ‘barrier’ that keeps the temperature of the building stable. In addition to their insulating qualities, these types of blinds can reduce noise pollution in urban areas where noise is a constant issue.
Screen fabric awnings
Microperforated fabrics, acrylic fibers, and PVC fabrics have increased their popularity in the manufacture of awnings, an accessory that helps protect glass and facades from the effects of sunlight. These advantages can be further enhanced by using awnings made of screen fabrics made of polyester filaments with a polyvinyl chloride coating. Therefore, in answering the question of how to protect windows from the sun, the use of awnings should be considered.
