Hear from Our Customers
Your covered patio stops being a furnace. That’s the short version.
The longer one: exterior roller shades block up to 94% of solar heat before it ever reaches your windows or outdoor living area. Surface temperatures drop by 15-20 degrees. The air under your covered spaces becomes breathable again, even during those 100+ degree stretches that Pecan Acres knows too well.
Your AC isn’t fighting a losing battle anymore. When you stop heat at the exterior, your cooling system works less. Most homeowners see energy bills drop 10-20% once outdoor shades go up. That’s real money back every summer.
And your furniture? It stops fading. UV rays are what destroy outdoor cushions, rugs, and even the finish on your patio doors. Quality exterior window blinds block 80-99% of those rays, which means your investment in outdoor living actually lasts.
You’re not just adding shade. You’re making outdoor spaces usable again, lowering costs, and protecting what you’ve already spent money on.
A Plus Shutters & Shades isn’t new to this. We’ve been doing construction and window treatments in the Fort Worth area for over 10 years, which means we’ve seen what holds up in Texas weather and what doesn’t.
We’re based in Arlington and serve Pecan Acres, Tarrant County, and the surrounding communities. We know the climate here—the heat, the wind gusts, the sudden storms. That matters when you’re mounting outdoor roller shades on a home worth $800K+.
Our team doesn’t just hang shades. We measure precisely, account for your home’s architecture, and install systems that integrate with smart home setups if that’s what you want. Motorized options, manual controls, blackout fabrics, solar screens—we walk through what actually makes sense for your situation, not what we’re trying to move off a truck.
First, we come out to your property in Pecan Acres. We look at the spaces you want to cover—patios, pergolas, windows, pool areas. We measure everything and talk through what you’re trying to solve: heat, glare, privacy, insects, or all of the above.
Then we go over fabric options. Some block more heat but let you see through. Others are blackout roller shades that give you total darkness and privacy. We explain what works for outdoor patio blinds versus window-mounted exterior shades, and what holds up in wind and rain.
Once you decide, we custom-make your shades. Everything’s built to your exact measurements. No generic sizes that almost fit.
Installation day, we show up with everything needed. We mount the hardware, hang the shades, test motorized functions if you went that route, and make sure everything operates smoothly. If it’s a smart system, we sync it with your existing setup—Alexa, Google Assistant, whatever you use.
You’re left with outdoor spaces you can actually use, controls that make sense, and shades that’ll handle Texas summers without falling apart.
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You get custom-measured outdoor roller shades built specifically for your home. Not stock sizes. Not “close enough.” Exact measurements that fit your openings perfectly.
The fabrics we use are built for Texas. We’re talking Mermet fiberglass that’s more impact-resistant than steel, not cheap polyester that breaks down in two summers. These materials block serious heat—up to 94% of solar gain—while still letting you see outside if that’s the fabric you choose.
Motorization is an option that most Pecan Acres homeowners go for. You control your outdoor shade blinds from your phone, voice commands, or wall switches. No cranking, no pulling. Just press a button.
In this area, where properties sit on large plots and many homes have multiple outdoor living zones, we often install several shade systems at once. Pool cabanas, back patios, front porches, barn openings—we handle it all in one project so everything matches and operates the same way.
You also get installation by people who’ve done this hundreds of times. We’re not learning on your house. We know how to mount hardware into brick, stone, wood, and metal structures. We know local building codes and HOA requirements that are common in planned communities around Fort Worth.
Exterior roller shades can drop the temperature in your covered outdoor areas by 15-20 degrees, sometimes up to 30 degrees depending on sun exposure and fabric choice. That’s not marketing talk—that’s measurable.
Here’s why it works: the shades block solar heat before it reaches your home’s surfaces. When sun hits a window or patio door directly, that glass heats up and radiates warmth inside. When you stop it at the exterior with a solar screen or outdoor roller shade, the heat never makes it to the glass in the first place.
For Pecan Acres homes with west-facing patios or large window walls, this makes a massive difference. Your AC isn’t fighting a constant heat load from the sun. Most homeowners see cooling costs drop 10-20% after we install exterior shades on their primary sun-exposed areas.
The fabric you choose matters. Darker, tighter weaves block more heat but less visibility. Lighter, more open weaves let you see through but allow some heat. We help you pick based on what each space actually needs.
Yes. Most of the exterior roller shade systems we install in Pecan Acres are motorized and integrate with smart home platforms like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings.
You can control them from your phone using an app, set schedules so they lower automatically during peak sun hours, or use voice commands. Some homeowners tie them into their home automation scenes—like “leaving home” mode that closes all shades, locks doors, and adjusts the thermostat.
Motorization isn’t just convenient. It’s practical when you have multiple outdoor shade blinds across a large property. Instead of manually lowering six different shades around your pool and patio areas, you tap one button and they all go down at once.
The systems we install use quality motors that hold up in Texas heat and humidity. Cheap motors fail. The ones we use are built for continuous outdoor use and come with solid warranties. If you ever have an issue, we service what we install.
Exterior roller shades are specifically designed to mount on the outside of your home or outdoor structure and handle weather exposure. Regular indoor blinds aren’t built for that. They’ll warp, fade, and break down fast under Texas sun and rain.
Outdoor roller shades use fabrics like fiberglass, PVC-coated polyester, or specialized solar screen materials that resist UV damage, moisture, and wind. The hardware is rust-proof and the mechanisms are sealed against dust and water. These aren’t the same blinds you’d hang inside a bedroom.
The other big difference is heat blocking. Exterior shades stop solar heat gain before it reaches your windows, which is way more effective than interior blinds that only block heat after it’s already inside. That’s why exterior roller shades reduce cooling costs and interior ones mostly just reduce glare.
For Pecan Acres homes with large covered outdoor areas, exterior shades also give you control over insects, privacy, and wind protection—things you need when you’re trying to use your outdoor spaces year-round. You’re not just covering a window. You’re creating a controlled outdoor room.
Quality exterior roller shades should last 10-15 years in Texas, sometimes longer if you go with premium fabrics and maintain them properly. Cheap ones fall apart in 2-3 years.
The difference comes down to materials. Fiberglass fabrics like Mermet hold up far better than standard polyester. They resist tearing, don’t stretch or sag in heat, and the coating doesn’t break down under constant UV exposure. The hardware matters too—aluminum and stainless steel components won’t rust or corrode like cheaper metals.
Texas weather is brutal. You’ve got intense UV, temperature swings, humidity, wind, and occasional hail. Outdoor shade blinds need to handle all of that without constant repairs. That’s why we only install systems we know will last, not the cheapest option available.
Maintenance is minimal but important. Rinse them off a few times a year to remove dust and pollen. Check that the fabric isn’t rubbing anywhere. If you have motorized shades, make sure the mechanisms stay clean. Do that and you’ll get well over a decade of use.
Not if you choose the right fabric. That’s the whole point of having options.
Solar screen fabrics come in different openness levels—usually 3%, 5%, or 10%. A 5% openness fabric blocks 95% of UV rays and heat but still lets you see outside clearly during the day. You’re not sitting in a cave. You get shade and heat protection while maintaining your view of the yard.
If you want total privacy and darkness—say for an outdoor TV area or a bedroom window—then blackout roller shades make sense. Those block everything: light, heat, and visibility. But most Pecan Acres homeowners use those selectively, not on every opening.
You can also mix fabric types across different areas. Use solar screens on your main patio where you want to see out, and blackout shades on windows where you need privacy or want to sleep past sunrise. We help you figure out what works where based on how you actually use each space.
The key is that you’re not stuck with one solution. Exterior roller shades are customizable to what each area of your home needs, not a one-size-fits-all product that sort of works everywhere.
For most Pecan Acres homes, you’re looking at $1,500 to $5,000+ depending on how many shades you’re installing, the size of the openings, and whether you want motorization. Large projects covering multiple outdoor areas can run higher.
A single motorized exterior roller shade for a standard patio door might run $800-1,200. A big opening like a 20-foot pergola could be $2,500-4,000. If you’re outfitting your entire outdoor living area with multiple shades, you’re likely in the $5,000-10,000 range for a complete system.
Motorization adds cost but it’s worth it for most people. Manual shades are cheaper upfront but less convenient, especially if you have several of them. Smart home integration adds a bit more but not as much as you’d think—usually a few hundred dollars to connect everything.
The investment makes sense when you factor in energy savings and furniture protection. Dropping your cooling costs by 15% every summer adds up fast. Not replacing sun-damaged outdoor furniture every few years saves you thousands. And you actually get to use your outdoor spaces instead of abandoning them from May to September.
We give you an exact quote after measuring your property. No guessing, no surprise charges. You know what it costs before we start.
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