Hear from Our Customers
Your AC runs constantly from May through September. Your energy bills spike every summer. And even with the thermostat set to 72, some rooms still feel like ovens by mid-afternoon.
That’s because your windows are working against you. Without proper coverage, they’re letting in massive amounts of heat and UV rays that make your cooling system work overtime. Blackout roller shades change that equation completely.
The right roller blinds for windows can block up to 77% of heat gain during summer and reduce heat loss by 10% in winter. For most Mustang Ridge homes, that translates to $200-400 in yearly savings. But the real difference is comfort—walking into a bedroom that’s actually cool, not having to close off entire rooms during peak heat, and knowing your furniture isn’t fading from constant sun exposure.
You also get total control over light and privacy. Blackout options block 99% of incoming light, which matters if you work nights, want your kids to nap during the day, or just prefer sleeping past sunrise on weekends. And when they’re down, no one sees in—not neighbors, not people walking by, nobody.
A Plus Shutters & Shades started as a branch of A Plus Home Remodel, so we came into this industry with serious construction experience. That matters because installing roller shades correctly requires precision—measuring to the sixteenth of an inch, understanding how your windows are framed, and mounting hardware that won’t fail six months later.
We’ve spent over 10 years working throughout the greater Austin area, including Mustang Ridge, TX. We know what Texas heat does to homes here. We know the building styles in your neighborhood and the common window configurations we’ll encounter.
Every installation starts with a free consultation where we come to your home, measure your windows, show you actual samples, and help you choose the right material and operating system for each room. We’re not pushing the most expensive option—we’re helping you make decisions that match how you actually live.
First, you schedule a free consultation. We come to your home in Mustang Ridge, TX, look at your windows, and talk about what you’re trying to accomplish. If you’re dealing with a west-facing bedroom that turns into a sauna every afternoon, we’ll discuss blackout roller shades with insulating properties. If you want something in the living room that filters light but doesn’t make the space feel dark, we’ll show you different opacity levels.
We measure every window precisely and show you samples of different materials, colors, and textures. You’ll see how the operating systems work—cordless, continuous loop, motorized—and we’ll explain which makes sense for different situations. Motorized sounds fancy, but it’s actually practical for hard-to-reach windows or if you want to integrate with Alexa or Google Home.
Once you choose what you want, we order everything custom-made to your exact specifications. When your roller shade blinds arrive, we schedule installation at a time that works for you. Our installers have done this hundreds of times—they’re fast, clean, and they don’t leave until everything operates smoothly and looks exactly right.
After installation, we show you how everything works and answer any questions. If you chose motorized options, we make sure they’re programmed correctly and connected to your system.
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You’re getting window treatments built specifically for your windows—not stock sizes that almost fit. That means no light gaps on the sides, no sagging, and no weird mounting situations because the measurements were off.
In Mustang Ridge, TX, where summer temperatures regularly hit the high 90s and break 100, energy efficiency isn’t optional. The blackout blinds for windows we install are designed to create an insulating barrier. The cellular and thermal-backed options trap air between the shade and the window, which keeps hot air out during summer and prevents heat loss when winter cold fronts roll through.
You also get choices that actually matter. Fabric options range from sheer (filters light, maintains view) to blackout (blocks everything). Colors and textures that match your existing décor. Operating systems from simple cordless to fully motorized with remote control or smart home integration.
For families with young children, cordless roller blinds for windows eliminate the strangulation hazard that comes with traditional corded blinds. For anyone who’s tired of dealing with tangled cords or broken mechanisms, motorized systems are surprisingly affordable and last for years.
We source quality materials, including Texas-made products when available, because we know you’re making a long-term investment. These aren’t big-box store blinds that’ll need replacing in three years. Properly installed, quality roller shades last 10-15 years or more.
The real answer depends on your home, but the data is solid. Blackout roller shades can reduce heat gain through windows by up to 77% during summer and cut heat loss by about 10% in winter.
For a typical Mustang Ridge, TX home, that usually translates to $200-400 in annual energy savings. The bigger your windows and the more sun exposure you have, the more you’ll save. West and south-facing windows are where you’ll see the biggest impact because that’s where the most intense heat comes through.
The way it works is simple: the shade creates a barrier between the hot glass and your room. With blackout or thermal-backed options, you’re essentially adding an insulating layer that keeps the heat from radiating into your living space. Your AC doesn’t have to work as hard, it cycles less frequently, and your overall cooling costs drop. You’ll notice the difference on your first summer utility bill.
Blackout roller shades block 99% of light and provide complete privacy. When they’re down, you can’t see in or out, and the room gets genuinely dark—dark enough to sleep comfortably at noon or create a proper home theater environment.
Light-filtering shades reduce glare and provide daytime privacy but still let diffused light through. You can see shapes and movement outside, and people outside can see that lights are on inside, though they can’t see details. These work well in living rooms, kitchens, and spaces where you want natural light without the harsh glare.
For most Mustang Ridge homes, the best approach is mixing both types. Blackout blinds for bedrooms, nurseries, and media rooms where you need darkness and total privacy. Light-filtering for common areas where you want to reduce heat and glare but keep the space feeling open and bright during the day. We help you figure out what makes sense for each room during your consultation.
Motorized roller shades cost more upfront, but they’re worth it in specific situations. If you have high windows or large roller shades for large windows that are hard to reach, motorized operation makes sense. If you want to program your shades to close automatically during the hottest part of the day to reduce cooling costs, motorization pays for itself.
The smart home integration is also genuinely useful—not just a gimmick. You can set schedules so your blackout roller shades close at sunset and open at sunrise automatically. If you’re away from your Mustang Ridge, TX home, you can control them remotely to make it look like someone’s there. And voice control through Alexa or Google Home is convenient when your hands are full.
Battery-powered motorized systems have come a long way. Batteries last 1-2 years depending on usage, and they’re easy to replace. Hardwired options are even more reliable if you’re building new or doing a renovation where running wiring is feasible. For most people, motorization makes the most sense on 3-4 key windows rather than every window in the house.
For most Mustang Ridge homes, installation takes 2-4 hours depending on how many windows we’re covering. A single room with 2-3 windows might take an hour. A whole-house installation with 12-15 windows usually takes half a day.
The actual mounting and installation of each roller shade blind is quick—usually 10-15 minutes per window once we’re set up. What takes time is making sure everything is level, properly secured, and operating smoothly. We’re mounting into your window frames or walls, so we take the time to find solid backing, use the right anchors, and ensure nothing’s going to pull loose over time.
If you’re getting motorized interior roller shades, we also need time to program them, sync them with your smart home system if applicable, and show you how to use the controls. We don’t rush installations. We’d rather take an extra 30 minutes to get everything perfect than leave you with shades that don’t operate correctly or look crooked.
Yes, and you’ll feel it immediately. Windows are the biggest source of heat gain in your home—especially in Mustang Ridge, TX where summer sun is relentless. Without window treatments, up to 30% of your cooling energy is lost through windows.
Blackout blinds and thermal-backed roller blinds for windows create an insulating air pocket between the glass and your room. When the sun heats your window glass to 120+ degrees on a summer afternoon, that heat normally radiates directly into your space. The roller shade blocks that radiant heat transfer.
The difference is most obvious in rooms with large windows or significant sun exposure. That bedroom that’s always 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the house? Blackout roller shades will bring it in line with your other rooms. The living room where you have to close the curtains and turn off lights because the glare is unbearable? Light-filtering shades solve that while still keeping the space bright.
This isn’t theoretical—it’s physics. The Department of Energy confirms that window treatments can reduce heat gain by up to 77%. You’ll notice your AC running less frequently, and your summer energy bills will reflect the difference.
Yes. Custom means custom—we regularly install roller shades for large windows, floor-to-ceiling glass, angled windows, skylights, and odd-shaped openings. If it’s a window, we can cover it properly.
Large windows actually benefit the most from quality roller shades because that’s where you’re losing the most energy and getting the most heat gain. We can do single wide shades up to certain dimensions, or we can install multiple shades side-by-side that operate together for a seamless look on really wide spans.
For unusual shapes or challenging installations, that’s where our construction background matters. We’ve dealt with vaulted ceilings, windows in tight corners, architectural features that complicate mounting, and situations where standard installation won’t work. We figure out the right solution during the consultation—sometimes that means custom brackets, sometimes it means a different mounting approach, sometimes it means recommending a different style of shade that’ll work better for that specific window.
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