Why automate shades?
- Heat: blocking direct sun reduces the load on your air conditioning.
- Glare: comfortable screens and TVs without squinting.
- UV: helps slow fading of art, wood floors and fabric.
- Privacy: close all the shades in an area in one action.
Choosing fabrics
Fabric choice is a trade-off. Solar or screen fabrics keep a view while cutting glare and heat, blackout fabrics suit bedrooms and cinema rooms, and many homes use both: screen shades by day and blackout for night.
Power options
Shades can be wired or battery-powered. Wired shades avoid battery changes but need power planned at the window, so decide early during construction, as covered in the pre-wire checklist. Battery shades suit retrofits.
Schedules and scenes
Shades can follow the sun’s position through the day, and respond to scenes such as “Movie” or “Away”. Combined with smart climate control, this makes the house more comfortable and efficient with no daily effort.
A note on storms
Interior shades are not a substitute for hurricane shutters or impact-rated protection. Follow your builder’s and local authorities’ guidance for storm protection.
