Rob's Home and Garden Blog

Factors to Consider When Choosing Outdoor Blinds for Your Home

by Martha Reed

Outdoor blinds are a great choice for many homes. They not only provide maximum protection against sunlight and glare, but they also protect the windows against damage during a storm. External blinds and shades may also provide a layer of protection against potential thieves and intruders. Because there are so many different options for outdoor blinds, note a few factors to consider when you're ready to shop, so you know you get the right type for your particular needs. 

Operation

If you want outdoor blinds mostly for protection against storms, you want to choose a type with the easiest operation available. Trying to work ropes and pulleys when the wind is picking up or rain is already hitting the windows can be very cumbersome, and may slow down the operation of the blinds. A motorized controller can be much easier and faster to use in high winds. This can also allow you to keep the blinds at all the same height, if you have a long row of windows and prefer a neat and uniform look to the blinds when they're partially open.

Fabric

The material of outdoor blinds is very important to note; fabric blinds can soften the look of aluminium siding, and may work better on a craftsman style home that has lots of wood trim, rather than bare metal blinds that may clash with all that wood. Fabric and plastic blinds may also be better at insulating outside sound than metal blinds, which may echo sound around the blinds and actually be louder in high winds.

However, fabric can get dirtier faster than metal, and be harder to clean. For blinds that are meant to protect windows from heavy rains and storms, opt for metal or plastic.

Energy protection

Some outdoor blinds are made with a thick metal or plastic material and a very small mesh, or will be made with slats that close entirely against each other when the blinds are closed, for maximum light blockage. These may also provide the most amount of energy savings; they will keep out cold wind and hot summertime sun, so that you need to use the utilities in the home less often. If you live in a climate with extremes in temperature, be sure to opt for blinds with the most energy protection and savings ratings, and then also be sure that you close the blinds during the coldest days of winter and when the sun is the warmest during summer, to reduce your energy bills throughout the year.

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