Are Outdoor Blinds Worth It?
Outdoor blinds are becoming more popular, as many homeowners are deciding to expand their homes. These days, an outdoor space is seen as an extension of the home, rather than a separate space. Because of this, the design and practicality of the space are a priority.
External blinds can even be motorised and connected to your smart home system. Long gone are the days of canopies and shutters being the only options on the market.
But is it worth investing in external blinds?
Climate Control
Adding blinds to outdoor spaces, such as pergolas or gazebos, can create a more comfortable environment. The ability to adjust glare and heat levels on command means you can spend more time in your outdoor spaces, ensuring you get your money’s worth.
The issue with a lot of outdoor spaces is that they either have a lot of windows or, on something like a pergola, lots of gaps for sunlight through the walls and roof. This means that sunlight can shine through, which could be uncomfortable. Creating a cool, shaded space is vital to getting the most out of the outdoors.
Protection
Not only can external blinds protect you from the sun, but they can also protect you against wind, rain and insects. Though it’s not recommended to keep your blinds down during strong winds because they can get damaged, it’s fine to do so during a breeze. The blinds will also protect your outdoor furniture from the elements if you use a dense and waterproof fabric.
As well as protecting you from the elements, external blinds can also provide additional privacy. In areas with a lot of visibility from neighbours or passing pedestrians, adding blinds is an easy way to hide from spying eyes.
Energy Efficiency
External blinds can have a great return on investment if used correctly and in the right place. Automated shading can be utilised outdoors to reduce energy usage indoors when used in areas such as conservatories. A combination of sun sensors, wind sensors or a smart home system means your blinds can open and close when it’s most efficient to do so.
For example, on a cold day, your blinds can be programmed to stay open and let in as much sunlight as possible which reduces the need for central heating. Similarly, they can be programmed to close when it’s too hot which reduces the need for AC.
Aesthetics
Matching your external blinds to the shading you already have in your home can create an aesthetically pleasing space. A cohesive look from indoors to outdoors makes it look like lots of thought has been put into how your home looks. With the popularity of external blinds growing, there are more options than ever in terms of how your blinds look.
There are multiple fabric colours and finishes available to match any aesthetic, plus customisation options for the blind hardware. Blinds can be designed to blend into their surroundings or stand out to make a statement.
Does Umbra have an outdoor blind system?
Yes! ExtraLok is like our KuroLok blind but with specially treated hardware to withstand damp or corrosive atmospheres. ExtraLok features zip-retention side channels and can be powder coated to any RAL colour to match your space. It’s even possible to use this system with any IP 44 rated motor, like the Somfy Sonesse range.
The zip-retention technology make sure that the fabric won’t blow out of the channels in the wind, which could cause damage to the blind or surroundings. We would recommend that the blinds are not used in very high winds, so we always suggest using a wind sensor too, which can be programmed to automatically open the blinds when the wind reaches a certain level. This should help prevent wind damage to the blinds.
We also recommend that only external fabrics be used with this system to ensure longevity. To find out more about external fabrics, click here:
To find out more about ExtraLok, click here: