Start With the Sun

It’s four o’clock in July, and the sun is pouring straight through your sliding glass door. The family room is the hottest spot in the house, the TV has a glare stripe across it, and nobody wants to sit on that side of the couch. Sound familiar? The best window treatment for a slider in East Mesa fixes that first, then stays out of your way every time you head out to the patio.

You’re not imagining the heat. Phoenix gets 3,872 hours of bright sunshine a year, the most of any major city on Earth, and highs top 110 degrees on about 21 days a year. Your patio door is usually the biggest piece of glass in the house, so it takes the brunt of it.

Glass alone won’t save you. Even the best glass is a poor insulator, which is why the Wikipedia entry on sliding glass doors says they should be protected with shades, blinds or curtains. The trick is finding one that blocks the sun and still lets the kids and the dog run in and out twenty times a day.

Five Ideas That Work on a Patio Door

We walk through the whole lineup on our page about sliding glass door window treatments, but these five are the ones we recommend most in East Mesa homes.

· Vertical blinds. Tilt the vanes to keep sun off your floors, then stack them to one side and the door slides right open.

· Panel track shades. Wide fabric panels glide along a track. They give a big opening a cleaner, more modern look than vanes.

· Solar shades. If your slider faces west, solar shades are hard to beat. They cut glare and UV, and you still get to see the backyard.

· Plantation shutters. Mounted on a bi-fold track, shutters hinge and fold neatly out of the way when you open the door. It’s a solid, built-in look.

· Cellular shades. The honeycomb cells trap air, and the Department of Energy reports that interior cellular shades boost home energy performance. That’s a real plus on a door that bakes all afternoon.

How to Pick the Right One

Start with the direction your door faces. A west or south facing slider needs serious sun control, so solar shades or shutters should top your list. A shaded north door gives you more room to choose on style alone.

Then think about who uses the door. If kids and pets are in and out all day, go cordless or motorized. It’s simpler and safer. If you love your view, solar shades keep it. If the neighbors are close, shutters and cellular shades give you more privacy.

And don’t overlook motorization. Big shades on a big door are a lot easier with the push of a button, and you can set them to close on their own before the afternoon sun hits. Some homeowners even mix and match, pairing plantation shutters on a bi-fold track in the family room with matching solar shades on the slider.

Leave the Measuring to Us

Sliding doors are tricky to fit. The covering has to clear the handle, leave room to stack, and stay square across a wide opening. That’s our job, not yours. We measure every door ourselves, our local team handles the installation, and our No Questions Asked warranty covers a one-time repair or replacement within five years. If your patio door is fighting the Arizona sun and losing, schedule your free in-home consultation and we’ll bring samples to your home in East Mesa, Northwest Mesa or Gilbert.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best window treatment for a west facing sliding door?

Solar shades are a great first choice because they cut glare and UV without blocking the view. If you also want privacy or insulation, take a look at shutters or cellular shades.

Will blinds get in the way of the door handle?

Not when they’re measured for it. Your consultant checks the handle depth and the stack space so the covering clears the door.

Can shades go on the outside of a sliding door?

Yes. Exterior solar shades can be mounted outside an existing sliding glass door, which keeps the sun off the glass itself.

Are cordless options available for patio doors?

They are. Cordless and motorized options come on many styles, which is a big help in homes with kids or pets.