FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Exterior solar screens absorb and dissipate a large percentage of solar heat and glare before it reaches windows and doors. This results in a more comfortable indoor temperature, more efficient air conditioning and ultimately energy conservation.

Yes, they only need an occasional cleaning with mild soap and water. They are also mildew and fade resistant.

Yes. All Phifer Solar Screen material comes with a 10 year limited manufacturer’s warranty. Please reach out to us for details.

Exterior sun control products still allow good airflow.

These products protect against insects and can replace regular insect screening on windows, doors and porches.

Solar screening is available in a wider range of colors than regular insect screening. From the outside, solar screening offers a uniform look to windows and doors, providing a more aesthetically pleasing overall look to home and building exteriors than regular insect screening. Outward visibility remains good through exterior sun control.

Solar screens can provide daytime privacy. Visibility through solar screens depends on light location. Lighted interiors allow inward visibility at night, while sunlight during the daytime diminishes inward visibility, offering more privacy.

SunTex: Heavy-duty mesh is tear and puncture resistant.

No. Most houseplants require filtered light. Shading reduces yellowing and water loss. In most cases, plants do better with shading than without but will require some amounts of direct sunlight.

Yes. All shapes and sizes of windows can be shaded with solar screen products including rakes, octagons, circles, etc.

Many solar screen payback period estimates fall between two and three cooling seasons. Studies have shown that shaded windows can save up to 25% of the cost of air conditioning when compared to unshaded windows.

Glass tinting filters the light along with the UV rays. Solar screens reduce the volume of light without filtering. As the glass filters sunlight through the tint, it will maintain heat, which dissipates into the house, making solar screens more effective than glass tinting for energy savings.

Yes, along with the heat that is absorbed by the drapes/blinds, they are also subject to UV damage. The combination of light-colored interior shades and dark exterior screens will provide optimum results.

To protect carpets, drapes and furniture from damaging UV rays, the solar screens should remain in place even during cooler months. However, if passive solar heat gain is desired in the winter months the screens can be removed and stored until springtime.

Yes, although windows and doors are kept cleaner with the solar screens installed, they are removable just like insect screening for ease in washing screens and window glass. In some cases, screws will need to be taken out to remove the screen.

While UV blockage is 65% to 90%, the Visual Transmittance is 14% to 40% depending on the screening fabric selected. Light through the solar screen is not tinted, but it is reduced in volume, allowing good light with reduced glare.

All colors provide significant heat reduction when installed on the exterior but dark colors are better at reducing glare and improving outward visibility.

UV blockage depends on the fabric’s weave and openness. In general, the UV blockage percentage will be the reciprocal of the openness factor.

GREENGUARD is an indoor air quality certification program for low emitting products. GREENGUARD tests products’ chemical emissions by evaluating over 75,000 chemicals, including volatile organic compounds, carcinogens and reproductive toxins. All Exterior Sun Control fabrics are GREENGUARD certified.

Microban antimicrobial protection is infused into SunTex fabrics to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew.

The turnaround on solar screens is typically 7-10 business days.