Hear from Our Customers
You’re not imagining it. Your west-facing patio is unbearable after 2 PM, and your furniture is fading faster than it should.
Exterior roller shades drop surface temperatures by 15-20 degrees and block up to 95% of UV rays before they hit your windows or outdoor furniture. That means your HVAC isn’t fighting solar heat gain all afternoon, and your energy bills drop by 20-30% during peak summer months.
You get shade when you need it, privacy from neighbors without losing your view during the day, and motorized control that takes five seconds. No more choosing between a blazing patio or closing yourself inside. You can host dinner outside at 7 PM in July without everyone sweating through their shirts.
A Plus Shutters & Shades started as a construction company serving the greater Austin area over ten years ago. We’ve seen every type of sun exposure issue Swenson Farms homes deal with—oversized west-facing windows, covered patios that still get too hot, outdoor kitchens that are unusable half the year.
We’re based locally, we use Texas-made products built for this climate, and we don’t subcontract installations. The person who measures your space is part of the team that installs your outdoor roller shades.
Swenson Farms homes average 2,700 to 3,300 square feet with large outdoor living areas. You didn’t buy that space to avoid it five months a year. We help you use it.
You schedule a free consultation. We come to your home in Swenson Farms, measure your openings, and show you fabric samples and operating systems. Motorized, manual, blackout roller shades, solar screens—you see the actual materials and how they perform.
We give you a quote on-site. No waiting three days for a callback. If it works for your budget and timeline, we order your custom outdoor patio blinds. Most orders are ready within two to three weeks depending on size and customization.
Installation takes a few hours for most residential projects. We mount the exterior window blinds, test the motorization if applicable, show you how everything operates, and clean up completely. You’re using your shaded patio that same afternoon.
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Every exterior roller shade system we install is custom-measured for your exact openings. You’re not buying stock sizes that kind of fit. We’re cutting and fabricating for your home’s dimensions.
You choose your fabric based on how much light and heat you want to block. Solar screens give you visibility and airflow while cutting heat and UV. Blackout roller shades eliminate light completely and add privacy for ground-level patios where neighbors can see in.
Motorized systems integrate with smart home setups or operate with a remote. You can drop your outdoor shade blinds when the afternoon sun hits without walking outside. Manual options use a crank system—still easy, just not automated.
In Swenson Farms, most homeowners prioritize heat reduction and UV protection because of the intense Texas sun exposure. Your outdoor furniture, grill covers, and cushions last years longer when they’re not getting blasted with direct sunlight eight hours a day. Your interior stays cooler because you’re blocking solar heat gain before it reaches your windows and doors.
Expect a 15-20 degree temperature drop on your patio surface and furniture when exterior roller shades are deployed during peak sun hours. If your uncovered patio hits 115 degrees at 4 PM in July, you’re looking at 95-100 degrees with shades down.
That difference is what makes outdoor spaces usable. You’re not just getting shade—you’re blocking radiant heat before it builds up on concrete, furniture, and outdoor structures.
The exact drop depends on your fabric choice and sun exposure. Solar screens that block 90-95% of UV perform differently than blackout options, but both create measurable cooling. West and south-facing patios in Swenson Farms see the most dramatic improvement because that’s where afternoon heat hits hardest.
Yes, if they’re installed correctly and you retract them during severe weather. Exterior roller shades are built for wind resistance, but they’re not designed to stay deployed during 50+ mph gusts or hailstorms.
Motorized systems make this easy. You hit a button when you see a storm rolling in, and your shades retract in under a minute. Manual systems take slightly longer but still retract quickly with a crank handle.
The frames and fabric we use are commercial-grade and handle typical Texas weather—heat, sun, occasional rain, moderate wind. But treating them like storm shutters will damage the system. Retract during severe weather, and your outdoor roller shades will last 10-15 years without issues. Most Swenson Farms homeowners set up weather alerts on their phones and retract shades when high winds are forecasted.
Yes, if you choose solar screen fabric. You’ll have a mostly unobstructed view from inside looking out during the day, and people outside won’t be able to see in clearly because of the screen’s reflective properties.
Blackout roller shades eliminate visibility completely. You’d use those for ground-level patios where you want full privacy from neighbors or for bedrooms where you need complete light blocking.
Most Swenson Farms homeowners choose solar screens for outdoor living areas because you still get airflow, visibility, and natural light—just without the heat and UV exposure. If you’re covering a patio where you want to see your yard and pool, solar screens make more sense. If you’re covering windows on a bedroom that faces the street, blackout options give you privacy and sleep quality.
Motorized systems typically add $200-$400 per shade depending on size and integration features. For a standard patio covering with two or three shades, you’re looking at an additional $600-$1,200 for motorization.
That cost includes the motor, remote or wall switch, and integration capability with smart home systems if you want it. You’re paying for convenience—dropping shades without walking outside, scheduling them to lower automatically at certain times, and controlling everything from your phone.
Manual systems use a crank handle and cost less upfront. They’re reliable and straightforward, but you have to physically operate them. For homeowners in Swenson Farms with large outdoor areas or multiple shade installations, motorization pays off in daily use. If you’re only covering one small patio and budget is tight, manual works fine.
Yes. Blocking solar heat before it reaches your windows and doors reduces your HVAC load significantly. Most homeowners see a 20-30% reduction in cooling costs during summer months, which translates to $40-$80 per month depending on your home size and system efficiency.
The savings come from stopping heat gain at the source. When sun hits your windows directly, your air conditioner works harder to compensate for that radiant heat. Exterior roller shades intercept it outside, so your interior stays cooler naturally.
In Swenson Farms, where homes average 2,700-3,300 square feet and summer temperatures regularly hit the high 90s, that reduction is noticeable on your monthly bill. The shades typically pay for themselves in energy savings within three to five years, and they last 10-15 years with minimal maintenance. You’re also protecting your flooring and furniture from UV damage, which saves replacement costs down the line.
Most residential installations in Swenson Farms take three to five hours depending on how many shades you’re installing and whether you’re adding motorization. A single patio with two or three exterior window blinds usually wraps up in half a day.
We measure, mount the brackets, install the roller mechanism, attach and test the shades, and program motorized systems if applicable. You don’t need to prep anything beforehand—we handle mounting, leveling, and cleanup.
Larger projects with multiple outdoor areas or commercial installations take longer, but we’ll give you an accurate timeline during your consultation. Most homeowners schedule installation on a weekday morning and have fully functional outdoor roller shades by early afternoon. You can use your patio that same evening.
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