TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Solar Screens Help Residents Save On Electricity Costs

ADVERTISEMENT

By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT IN THE LOOP

Published: February 11, 2009

With electric bills increasing, many people might be looking for a way to cut back on their monthly utility bills.

Kevin Sanders, vice president and co-owner of Sun Block Screens of Florida LLC, said he has witnessed his customers saving as much as 22 percent on their electric bill with his Solar Screens. Sanders and his son, Shaun, install the screens which help to block out much of the heat from the sun and also help to insulate a home when it is cold.

"We use a vinyl-polyester coated material which we custom make to fit the whole frame of the window," Sanders said. "The screen cuts 80 percent of the heat from the sun before it hits the glass. It can reduce the temperature of a room in the daytime from 10 to 15 degrees. Once the screens are installed, my customers start saving right away."

Martha Greenman of Wesley Chapel said she had every window in her double-wide trailer covered with the screens for six months now and she is amazed by the difference.

"I would recommend these to anyone," Greenman said. "My electric bill used to be at least about $300 every month and now it is consistently down in the low $200s. I use less air and heat now. My bedroom used to be so hot you couldn't go in there even with the ceiling fan running but now it stays cool."

Even though the screens are effective in blocking about 80 percent of the harmful UV rays, about 75 percent of the light still gets through.

"There is enough light coming through but the UV rays which can fade carpet and furnishings are blocked by the screen," Sanders said. "Even though the light is coming through, there is no way to see in during the day but at night people will still need to use their blinds for privacy."

Regardless of the color of your house or the size of your windows, Sanders said there is a screen that would look good. The whole process should take only a few hours and then the customer could save as much as 50 percent on their air conditioning bill according to Sanders.

"The screens come in different colors so that they can match the house," Sanders said. "We can do any size window. We first come out to the house and measure the window, then we take off the existing screen and wash the windows. We will then fabricate the screen on-site and put up a new frame which also comes in an assortment of colors."

The solar screens can also be installed anywhere a person is using a screen like a screened-in back porch or lanai.

"The screen is better then most screens because it is made from a thick material," Sanders said. "If you live on a golf course, the balls are deflected by the screen.

Also a unique feature is the way the screen keeps out the "no-see-um" bugs, which are small enough to fit through other screens."

For information, visit sunblockscreens.com or call (813) 690-4637.

Reporter Suzanne M. Schmidt can be reached at (813) 948-4288 or sschmidt@mediageneral.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT