Do shade sails reduce heat in my conservatory?? – We are constantly asked if our indoor shade sails reduce heat in conservatories. We are also asked if they offer better protection against heat build-up than the heat reflective systems on offer such as Thermal Energy glass roofing from Pilkinton or the numerous after-market solar films. The simple answer is YES and considerably.
At shadesailblinds.com we have installed hundreds of shade sail blind systems in conservatories, orangeries, hotel atriums and entrance lobbies across the UK and abroad. We have installed our shade sails under glass with and without the heat reflective systems / films and have always notice a dramatic ‘and instant’ reduction in heat. Whilst we recommend you should always have thermal protective glass roofing, they are often wrongly sold by the conservatories sales person as being the all singing and dancing solution to UV protection and heat reduction. Unfortunately this is not the case!
All heat reflective films or UV protection coated glassed roofing systems are actually manufactured to prevent heat from escaping and not for preventing heat from entering, which is more or less impossible. ‘We’ll explain more further down’. However, we have found this significant fact isn’t being explained correctly by the majority of conservatory sales and solar film personnel. Heat reflective systems are extremely good at reducing heat loss and reducing the damaging impact which UV rays cause, such as fabric fading. They are not so good at reducing heat build-up!
Here comes the science bit – Sunlight is made up of electromagnetic radiation given off by the sun which contains numerous infrared, ultraviolet visible and invisible rays; ultraviolet rays such A, B and C. These rays transfer radiation heat across multiple span widths and with varying impacts. Some can transfer through glass without weakening there strength whist others are weakened or simply dissipate. This means that regardless of coating or protection film you may have with your glassed roof, as long as you can see sunlight, energy waves will enter and be absorbed by materials below. The energy absorbed from the light is them converted onto radiant heat which cannot pass back through the glass and becomes trapped, allowing the heat to build and build.
Why shade sails reduce heat build-up in conservatories – At shadesailblinds.com we researched the thermodynamics properties of light radiation and studied construction insulation practices before launching our indoor shade sail range. This was so we could provide not only a stylish interior design feature but a product which actually provides a solution to both heat build-up and heat loss in conservatories and under glass roofing!
Our shade sails are designed to use nature’s own thermodynamics properties to trap heat in a thermo barrier, preventing a large proportion of radiation heat waves from entering the room below.
By designing our shade sails installation to have a specified gap between glass and sails we are able to create an excellent Thermo barrier that works in a similar way to that of cavity wall insulation which all modern homes have. This Thermo barrier not only helps reduce the impact of heat transference during the summer months but also reduces heat loss during the colder winter months.
Why we do not recommend heat reflective fabrics – Our indoor shade sail fabrics are deliberately chosen so Not to reflect heat. To some this is confusing as you would assume this would aid the thermo barriers properties. However, research and physics proves otherwise.
Heat reflective coatings bounce radiation back towards the glass which is already being bombarded with a myriad of damaging rays. With trapped rays being prevented from escaping, reflective fabrics will actually speed up and significantly increases the amount of heat radiation to such levels that heat is forced downwards into the room blow. Additionally if left unchecked, reflective fabrics can transfer heat radiation in such volumes that it can warp the roof structure itself. This is why we DO NOT use heat reflective coatings on our fabrics.
If you would like to learn more about how our indoor shade sails can help improve the temperature in your conservatory, orangery, atrium or glassed building, call us now on 0844 811382 or email us at hello@shadesailblinds.com
