Hear from Our Customers
Your AC is fighting a losing battle when the sun beats directly through your windows and glass doors. Every degree of heat that enters your home costs money to remove. Exterior roller shades stop that heat before it ever reaches the glass, blocking up to 80% of solar heat gain and cutting cooling costs by 20-30% during North Shoal Creek’s brutal summers.
You’re not just saving on energy bills. You’re protecting furniture from fading, making your patio actually usable during the day, and adding privacy without blocking your view. When outdoor temps hit triple digits, properly installed outdoor roller shades can drop the temperature on your patio or deck by 10-15 degrees, turning an unusable space into somewhere you’ll actually want to spend time.
Motorized options mean you control everything from your phone. Raise them when you want natural light, lower them when the afternoon sun swings around. No cords, no hassle, just comfort when you need it.
A Plus Shutters & Shades isn’t new to this. We’ve spent over 10 years installing custom window treatments across Arlington, Fort Worth, Dallas, and North Shoal Creek. We understand Texas heat because we live in it, and we know what works when the sun is relentless from May through September.
Our background is in construction, not just window coverings. That means when we install outdoor roller shades or patio blinds, they’re anchored properly, sealed correctly, and built to handle wind, rain, and years of Texas weather. We use Texas-made fabrics and powder-coated aluminum components because they last longer and perform better than the cheap alternatives.
You’ll work directly with our team from estimate to installation. No subcontractors, no runaround. Just straightforward service from people who know what they’re doing.
First, we come to your home in North Shoal Creek for a free consultation. We measure your space, look at sun exposure throughout the day, and talk through what you’re trying to accomplish. Some people want blackout roller shades for complete privacy. Others want solar shades that block UV rays but maintain the view. We’ll show you fabric samples and explain the difference between 85%, 90%, and 95% UV blockage so you can make an informed decision.
Once you choose your materials and features—motorized or manual, color, opacity—we custom-fabricate your exterior roller shades locally. This usually takes 7-10 days. When they’re ready, our installation team schedules a time that works for you.
Installation typically takes a few hours depending on the number of shades. We mount the hardware, hang the shades, test the operation, and walk you through how everything works. If you went with motorized patio shades, we’ll sync them to your phone and show you how to set schedules or voice commands. Then we clean up and you’re done. No mess, no confusion, just functional outdoor shade blinds that work the way they should.
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Every exterior roller shade we install is custom-built for your exact measurements. We’re not trimming down stock sizes or forcing something to fit. You get weather-resistant fabrics designed for outdoor use—not indoor roller shades repurposed for patios. These materials resist fading, mildew, and the constant UV exposure that North Shoal Creek dishes out year-round.
Motorized options come with the Somfy system, which integrates with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and most smart home setups. You can raise or lower your outdoor roller shades with your voice, set them on a timer, or control them remotely when you’re not home. For larger spans—up to 25 feet wide—we use reinforced components to handle wind load without sagging or failing.
You also get our installation guarantee. If something isn’t right, we come back and fix it. We’ve been doing this long enough to know that details matter, especially when you’re mounting exterior window blinds that need to withstand storms, heat, and daily use. And because we’re local to the area, we’re around if you ever need adjustments or have questions down the road.
Properly installed exterior roller shades can cut your cooling costs by 20-30% during summer months. The reason is simple: they block solar heat before it reaches your windows. Once heat penetrates the glass, your AC has to work overtime to remove it. Stopping it outside is far more efficient.
In North Shoal Creek, where temps regularly hit the high 90s and low 100s from June through August, that translates to your AC running 3-5 fewer hours per day. Over a summer, that’s real money. The exact savings depend on your home’s size, insulation, and how much glass you have facing south or west, but most homeowners see a noticeable drop in their energy bills within the first month.
Outdoor roller shades with 90-95% UV blockage perform best for energy savings. If you go with a lighter fabric or lower opacity, you’ll still get some benefit, but the heat reduction won’t be as dramatic.
Solar shades are designed to block UV rays and heat while still allowing you to see outside. They come in different openness levels—typically 85%, 90%, or 95% blockage. The higher the percentage, the more heat and UV you block, but the less visibility you retain. Most people in North Shoal Creek choose 90% or 95% for patios and outdoor spaces because the sun is intense and energy savings matter more than a perfectly clear view.
Blackout roller shades block everything: light, UV, and visibility. You can’t see out, and no one can see in. These work well for outdoor spaces where privacy is the main concern, or if you’re covering a screened porch and want to create a completely shaded, dark area during the hottest part of the day.
Both options are built with exterior-grade materials that resist weather and fading. The choice comes down to whether you prioritize view and light filtering or total blockage and privacy. We can show you samples during the consultation so you can see exactly what each fabric looks like in real conditions.
Yes, but only if they’re installed correctly and you retract them when severe weather hits. Motorized patio shades are built to handle normal wind conditions—gusts up to 20-25 mph won’t cause issues if the hardware is properly anchored and the fabric is tensioned correctly. We use powder-coated aluminum components and exterior-grade fabrics that resist stretching and tearing under typical use.
That said, if a storm is coming through North Shoal Creek with high winds, you should retract your outdoor roller shades. Leaving them extended in 40+ mph gusts can damage the fabric or mounting hardware, no matter how well they’re installed. The good news is that motorized systems make this easy—you can retract them from your phone in seconds, even if you’re not home.
For larger shades spanning 15-25 feet, we use reinforced mounting and tensioning systems to handle the increased wind load. These are engineered for outdoor use, not adapted from indoor products. If wind resistance is a major concern for your specific location, we’ll discuss options like wind sensors that automatically retract the shades when gusts exceed a certain threshold.
Quality exterior roller shades with Texas-made fabrics typically last 7-10 years, sometimes longer if they’re maintained and retracted during severe weather. The key is using materials designed for constant UV exposure and temperature swings. Cheap polyester fabrics stretch and fade within 2-3 years. Fiberglass and vinyl mesh hold up far better because they resist impact, maintain tension, and don’t degrade as quickly under the North Shoal Creek sun.
The hardware—especially if it’s powder-coated aluminum—usually outlasts the fabric. When the fabric eventually needs replacing, you don’t have to redo the entire installation. We can refit new fabric onto the existing system, which costs significantly less than starting from scratch.
Motorized components are rated for thousands of cycles. If you’re raising and lowering your outdoor shade blinds twice a day, that’s still years of reliable operation before anything needs servicing. We use Somfy motors, which are industry-standard for durability. If something does go wrong, parts are available and we can service them locally without waiting on a manufacturer across the country.
Usually not, but it depends on your HOA and whether the shades are considered a permanent structure. Most exterior roller shades mount to existing structures like your home’s exterior wall or patio cover, which typically doesn’t require a permit in North Shoal Creek. They’re classified as window treatments, not construction.
If you live in a neighborhood with an HOA, check your guidelines. Some associations have rules about exterior modifications, colors, or visibility from the street. We’ve worked with dozens of HOAs in the area and can provide documentation or samples if you need approval before moving forward.
For commercial properties or if you’re adding a new pergola or structure specifically to mount the shades, you might need a permit. We’ll let you know during the consultation if we see anything that could require approval. In over 10 years of installations across the area, permit issues are rare for standard residential outdoor roller shade projects.
Motorized exterior roller shades typically cost $300-$600 more per shade than manual versions, depending on size and features. For a standard patio with 2-3 shades, you’re looking at an additional $900-$1,800 to go motorized. That includes the Somfy motor, remote control, and basic programming.
If you want smart home integration—voice control, app access, scheduling—that’s usually included with the Somfy system at no extra cost. Some companies charge separately for the smart hub, but we include it because most people in North Shoal Creek expect their home systems to talk to each other.
Manual outdoor roller shades work fine if budget is tight or you don’t mind pulling a cord. But for larger shades—anything over 10 feet wide—motorized is worth it. The fabric gets heavy, and raising a 15-foot shade manually gets old fast. Motorized also means you’ll actually use them, which is the whole point. If they’re a hassle to operate, they’ll stay in one position and you won’t get the energy savings or flexibility you paid for.
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