Differences in Dark or Stucco-Colored Home Solar Screens

Outside Visibility

• It may go against your assumption, but it is easier to see outside through a black or dark brown solar screen, compared with tan or stucco. Darker screens cut the glare of the sun and allow for better outward views. Lighter screens, including gray or stucco, cause you to focus on the screen rather than the view beyond. Outside visibility is also affected by the strength of the screen. Eighty percent solar screens have better visibility but do not block as much heat. Ninety percent solar screens darken a home and restrict visibility to a greater degree.

Daytime Privacy

• One of the useful features of solar screens is their ability to block inward views from the outside when the sun is shining. Stucco solar screens work best at providing daytime privacy compared with darker screens. But all screens have the ability to provide daytime privacy and safety so that homeowners can look out the window and see a visitor coming, without the visitor seeing them.

Appearance

• One of the main concerns of many homeowners when choosing solar screens is how the screens appear aesthetically. Stucco homes can benefit from stucco-colored solar screens because they provide a clean, flawless earth tone that blends with the existing colors. Black solar screens, on the other hand, serve to highlight or contrast with a house’s colors and can also provide a pleasant appearance.

Benefits of Solar Screens

• In hot-weather regions, solar screens can be very useful to homeowners battling the heat. Cooling bills can become quite costly in such areas, but solar screens can reduce them by 25 to 30 percent. They also protect interior items from fading, such as furniture and paintings. Don't worry -- your home won't become darker even if you select black screens. The shades can be removed in winter to allow heat inside.