Transforming Sunlit Spaces: Reducing Heat-Gain In A New Home Extension With Vertical Zip Screens
Our clients, two busy hospital consultants, were in need of additional space to accommodate home offices and decided to undertake a full extension. They envisioned a spacious open-plan kitchen and dining area with three sets of glazed sliding doors offering a breathtaking view of their impressive garden.
Upon completing the extension, they were thrilled with the outcome. However, they soon encountered an unforeseen issue – excessive overheating caused by the intense sunlight penetrating through the south-facing sliding doors. Exploring interior shading options, they discovered that even the most high-performing internal blinds would only provide a 63% reduction in heat-gain. Unfortunately, this came at the cost of sacrificing their beautiful view and darkening the room.
Recognising Solar-Shield as experts in exterior shading, they sought our professional advice. We proposed an ideal solution: external "zip" screen roller blinds with an openness factor of 5%. These blinds struck the perfect balance between reducing heat-gain and preserving the cherished view. Remarkably, external blinds can achieve up to a 99.9% reduction in heat-gain, depending on their type and colour.
To ensure a seamless integration with the new door frames, all hardware was custom powder coated to match. The motorised screens feature an in-built radio remote control, enabling both individual and group control. For added convenience and peace of mind, a Somfy® Tahoma smart hub automatically closes the blinds at pre-set times, even when the homeowners are away. Additionally, while traveling, the clients can remotely monitor the screens' positions and make adjustments from anywhere in the world.
Take a look at the project gallery below…
Top Tips from Solar-Shield Exterior Shading
Check the orientation of your extension, plan for shading early and speak to an expert about the options available.
Design in recessed pockets to accommodate any shading product so that they disappear from view when not in use. Get power installed into these pockets.
When used externally, darker colours are more effective at reducing heat-gain and give better view-through.
For more information on our Vertical Zip Screens please get in touch with our team:
Email: info@solar-shield.co.uk
Call: 03302 020 701
