Beat the Houston Heat With Smart Motorized Patio Screens

Comfort and Shade for Outdoor Living, All Year, from Refined Systems

Hot summers turn patios into unusable space for months at a time, between the heat, the sun, and the bugs that show up the moment the sun goes down. A grill and a set of patio furniture aren't enough on their own for Texans to enjoy backyard spaces. What makes a patio usable throughout the year is having control over the elements that push people back inside in the first place.

That's where patio screens change the equation. Progressive Screens' MagnaTrack system lowers with one tap, blocking direct sun, cutting glare on outdoor TVs, and closing off the gap that lets mosquitoes in at dusk, all without turning your porch into a permanent screened-in box.

MORE ON OUTDOORS: How to Design Backyard Spaces That Feel Like Resorts

A Screen Is Also an Energy Decision

Shade can change how hard your AC works. Solar screening blocks a large share of the heat that would otherwise radiate off a patio and back toward the house, and homeowners who add screening to sun-exposed exterior spaces commonly report meaningful drops in summer cooling costs, since the unit isn't fighting to offset heat pouring in through open sliders and patio doors all afternoon. For homes with west-facing patios, that's not a small thing June through September.

Houston's Mosquito Season Is Longer Than You'd Like

Mosquito season generally runs from May through November, and West Nile activity has shown up in local mosquito samples nearly every year since 2002. Most bites are only a nuisance, but it's a gamble and part of why a screened patio matters here more than it does in a lot of other markets. Outdoor screens add a physical barrier without spraying the yard with chemicals or giving up the entire day outside altogether.

Patio Screens Are a Simple Retrofit Solution

Adding this kind of comfort to an existing patio doesn't require tearing anything out. Backyard motorized screens mount to the existing structure and tie into the home's low-voltage system. They’re easily one of the more straightforward upgrades for anyone looking to get more use out of a space they already built. 

Privacy, sun protection, and bug blocking all come in one package, so you can finally sit outside long enough to enjoy the lighting and AV investments you made in the first place.

You can also pair a solar- and bug-blocking shade system with stunning landscape and deck lighting to create the ultimate outdoor entertainment gathering spot for family and friends.

Program Shading into the Automated System You Already Run

If Savant or Crestron is already handling your lighting and outdoor speakers, the screens fold into that same Evening Entertain scene rather than adding another app to manage. It's the last piece standing between a patio and a resort-style evening. 

If you're ready to make your outdoor space more usable not only through the hottest months but year-round, we're ready to help. Book an outdoor consultation today.