If you’ve spent any significant time in Arizona, you already know how brutal the summers can be. The heat from the summer sun is harsh on people and property alike, and those air conditioning bills during summer months are just as likely to make you sweat as the outside temperature is.

So what can you do to combat the extreme summer heat? One option to consider is installing motorized shades in your home. While it may not seem like much, these shades can make a major impact on your lifestyle, comfort and bottom line. Keep reading to learn more about all the benefits motorized shades can offer homeowners in and around Cave Creek, AZ.

SEE ALSO: DISCOVER THE TOP 4 BENEFITS OF MOTORIZED SHADES

KEEP YOUR HOME COOLER

Shades are an absolute necessity in Arizona during any time of the year, but especially during the worst of summer. You want to make sure you’re prepared when that time comes. The easiest way for heat energy to enter your home is through your windows, so adding any sort of shading will have an immediate, drastic impact on your energy costs.

Why motorized shades, then, instead of old-fashioned manual shades? For one, you can use sensors and schedules to have your shades raise and lower themselves automatically, which saves you from having to worry about them yourself.

By setting your shades to adjust themselves according to the time of day and position of the sun, you can make sure you’re getting just the right amount of light you want to keep your home at a stable temperature. Less heat from outdoors means lower energy bills. You’ll also save money by getting more from your existing light bulbs, as motorized shades help you make the most use of available daylight.

PROTECT YOUR HOME DÉCOR

Any artist or photographer can tell you all about the potential for sunlight to wreak havoc on your possessions. In addition to helping to keep your home cool, motorized shades protect your home’s interior design.

What’s particularly damaging about sunlight when it comes to home décor is the ultraviolet radiation (UV radiation is also what causes sunburn in people). Over time, UV rays can cause certain surfaces and materials to crack, fade or otherwise deteriorate.

Fortunately, many motorized sun shades are made to minimize the amount of UV rays that can pass through, as these same rays also give off heat energy. Adding motorized shades to your home will help your home cool while simultaneously preserving your design aesthetic.

PRIVACY AND SECURITY

While your choice of shades doesn’t seem like a security issue at first glance, your window coverings actually play an important role in keeping you safe. How? As we mentioned before, motorized shades can be placed on schedules or linked to preset scenes as part of your broader home automation system.

If you link your shades to an “Away” preset, you can have your automation system lower the shades, engage your alarm, lock your doors and set your thermostat with a single command. And if you’re going to be away from home for a while, you can set your shades to adjust themselves randomly throughout the day, giving the appearance that somebody’s home and helping to deter potential intruders.

You can also use presets and schedules to make sure your home activities are kept private; if you like to start your evening off with an after-work swim, for example, you can set your shades to stay lowered from the time you get home until it’s time for dinner. That way there’s a minimal chance of your embarrassing yourself by not having the shades down at an inopportune moment.