Popular Mechanics: Home Improvement

Screen Test

By Roy Berendsohn

It’s easy to overlook the obvious. If you want to stay cool, stay in the shade. Well, you can’t shade your whole house, but you can use sunscreen fabrics to shade the windows, porches, picnic tables, and even air conditioners and swing sets.

Phifer Wire Products claims that its solar screen blocks 65 to 90 percent of the sun’s heat. The screens shown here snap in place on the outside of the window. The idea is that you bounce the solar energy back toward the outside before it enters the glass. Notice that the screen covers the entire window as one piece, so there are no gaps. This method prevents hot spots, says Phifer.

The screen is made from vinyl-coated synthetic yarn that is woven together to provide strength and increased shade. The screen by itself costs 45 to 65 cents per square foot. For more information, contact Phifer Wire Products Inc., Sun Control Information, P.O. Box 1700, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403; 800-874-3007. Or visit the company’s web site at www.phifer.com

Along similar lines is Easy Gardener’s Sun Screen Fabric. The company says its lock-stitch fabric is preshrunk so it won’t sag, even after being exposed to wide fluctuations of heat and humidity. The fablic can be cleaned with a garden hose, the company says. Finally, a variety of accessories are available to increase its finished appearance and ease of installation. These include wood fasteners, snap grommets, locking clips for securing the fabric to wire, rope or fencing, and locking ties to help you secure the fabric to metal posts, pipe or heavy cable.

A 6-feet wide x 12-feet long roll costs about $25. The product is sold at hardware stores and home centers. For more information, contact Easy Gardener Inc., P.O. Box 2327, Huntsville, AL 35804.

Copyright © Popular Mechanics 2001. Reprinted by permission.

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