What are the best types of blinds for conservatory roofs? There are after-market blinds, as well as blinds housed in the glass and even changing the conservatory roof. The conservatory, orangery or the new glass modular extension remains an attractive addition to the home. New conservatories benefit from the latest in glass technology such as solar control, self-cleaning and energy-efficient double or triple glazing. This article explains the products adding privacy and shade as conservatory roof blinds or solid panel products.
Why your glass room benefits from blinds for conservatory roofs
Living with an old conservatory? It’s quite likely the roof has either basic glass units or polycarbonate sheet. The result of these dated materials is poor insulation and inadequate control of heat and cold. Therefore you’ll probably find your conservatory too hot in the summer, too cold in winter and noisy when it rains.
There are significant products on the market designed to improve conservatory insulation. These products are conservatory roof blinds, but a complete replacement for the existing roof. Other products remove the polycarbonate and replace it with latest generation materials with significantly better specifications and performance.
Choose either the right conservatory roof blinds or a new roof product and your conservatory transforms. Therefore it’s possible to rejuvenate an old conservatory into a room to use every day.
Even if you change your old glass to new glass units, the coatings and gases in their construction promise vastly improved performance over your original roof material.
Aluminium insulated roof panels for conservatories.
Before we approach the subject of blinds for conservatory roofs, there is one new product that while not a blind, provides substantial benefits to a conservatory that is too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter and not used all year round. This product replaces the existing polycarbonate or glass with aluminium panels.
By using insulated aluminium powder coated panels, any aluminium conservatory, as well as PVCu and timber, transforms into more comfortable and all-year-round rooms. We think this is worthy of consideration as well as the option of blinds in a conservatory. One brand is the Thermotec roof panel widely used to replace conservatory roofs.
Types of blinds to use for conservatory roofs.
It is important to remember that a conservatory can consist of several different ‘systems’. The roof, windows, sliding, French Doors or bifolding doors could all be from different profiles and designers. For this reason, there may not be one-size fits all range of blinds for conservatory roofs.
How integral blinds work in a conservatory roof
Integral blinds comprising an aluminium blind operated by a cord, wand or magnet generally cannot be used on the conservatory roof. They are of course perfectly suitable for the ‘vertical’ elements of a conservatory such as the doors and windows.
However, one new product worth looking at if you want to buy rooflights is the TRL90 Flat Rooflight from Hitech Blinds.
HiTech Blinds makes the TRL90 a quality glass rooflight, fitted with motorised integral blinds. A click of a button opens and closes the blind, housed within an aluminium rooflight. Three standard colours of rooflight are available having a pleated blind between the glass. The blind operates either with a wall switch or remote control.
Pleated conservatory roof blinds
One option for fitting a quality blind to the conservatory roof is the pleated blind. Pleated blinds for conservatory roofs tend to be the most attractive option. When closed, pleated blinds provide privacy and shade. When open, they neatly fold together and take up a small part of the visible glass area.
Perfect Fit® Blinds for Conservatory Roofs
The other great option in choosing blinds for conservatory roofs is the Perfect Fit® blind. The Perfect Fit® system is a quality blind mounted on existing windows and doors with no drilling into the window frame required. Perfect Fit®, blinds are designed to easily and quickly click on most double glazed windows and doors. This makes them ideal for conservatory roofs as well. You can also use them in skylights and other types of roof windows.
What to consider when fitting blinds for conservatory roofs.
Many PVCu and aluminium conservatories come with decorative finials, interior mouldings, support bars and other additions, depending on the style of the conservatory roof.
In general terms, conservatory mouldings should not hinder the installation of a quality blind, but it is worth getting a professional installer to carry out a brief survey. A survey will establish the suitability of your conservatory for the blind you have in mind to use.
