Posted by EZSnapDirect on February 21, 2012 | No Comments
SHGC stands for Solar Heat Gain Coefficient. This number is commonly used as a guide line for rating the energy efficiency of windows and their various shading treatments. 
The old term for term for this measurement was shading coefficient. SHGC values range from 0 to 1. The lower the SHGC number, the less solar gain or heat passing through the window. Many power utilities offer rebates to customers who upgrade their windows. They typically will give you a rebate based on the total SHGC number of your upgraded product.
Little known Secret
Most of these rebate programs will give you a rebate if your upgraded windows have a SHGC # of .4 or less.
Many times you can still qualify for a rebate if you add an exterior shading product that has a SHGC # of .4 or less. Be sure to check with your local power utility to find out the details of their specific rebate program.
The EZ Snap shading mesh has a SHGC of .1827. This SHGC number is based on a solar profile angle of 45 degrees (most common) and a clear, double pane window.
Posted by EZSnapDirect on February 14, 2012 | No Comments
Pergolas and gazebos are a popular and attractive way to add shade to a back yard or over a patio or deck. They do have some short comings though. Depending on the time of day and the angle of the sun, they may be long periods of time when there is little or no shade under the pergola.
Many pergolas are built with a number of upright wooden timbers placed on top of the pergola frame. These provide shade to the area below when they are positioned perpendicular to the rays of the sun and when the sun is not too high in the sky. As the sun moves throughout the day, the shading effect is lost as the rays of the sun become more parallel to the direction of the boards.
What is the best way to provide full shade coverage from your pergola, without totally blocking out the light?
Adding a solar mesh cover across the top of your pergola will instantly and economically solve this problem. The solar mesh blocks up to 90% of the sun’s heat, while still allowing plenty of ambient light to enter. The mesh also retains the open feeling of the pergola by allowing you to see the sky through it.
We have had many of our customers tell us that they have covered their pergolas in this way using the EZ Snap exterior window shade kits. The non-fray EZ Snap mesh is easily sized to the top of the pergola. If the pergola is wood, use the stainless steel EZ Snap screw in studs into the wood. Use the EZ Snap adhesive studs for vinyl or aluminum pergolas. Next fit and fasten the shading mesh into place just as you would if you were doing a window or skylight. The EZ Snap mesh is a quick and easy way to add more shade and comfort to your pergola project.
Posted by EZSnapDirect on January 30, 2012 | No Comments
The sun is a very powerful force indeed. Especially when you consider the earth only receives about one two-billionth of the sun’s total energy. We have all experienced the power the sun has to fade and damage,whether it’s the paint on your car or your favorite chair. 
Sun light contains three types of energy rays:
- ultraviolet radiation
- visible light
- infrared radiation
Ultraviolet (UV) is the most dangerous and damaging. Ultraviolet rays break down the chemical bonds in coloring dyes, causing the color(s) in an object to fade over time. Some objects are more prone this bleaching effect, such as dyed textiles like carpet, drapes or furniture. Given enough time in the sun, everything eventually fades.
So how do we slow down the fading process in our homes?
When it comes to UV fading and damage in the home, UV light entering from windows is responsible for almost 100% of the problem. The perfect solution is to filter out the majority of the sun’s damaging rays, while still retaining enough of the visible light spectrum to properly light the room. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by using an exterior shading solution such as an awning or an exterior shade screen. These exterior solutions not only filter out the majority of the damaging UV rays, they also stop the heating rays of the sun before they enter the window.
The EZ Snap exterior shading material typically filters out up to 90% of the damaging UV radiation from the sun, as well as, 90% of the heating rays of the sun.
Learn more on Exterior Window Shades
Posted by EZSnapDirect on January 23, 2012 | No Comments
• Exterior blinds and shades are up to 7 times more effective at stopping heat from entering the home than interior blinds or window tinting.
• EZ Snap’s exterior shades block up to 90% of the sun’s heat
• 16% of the U.S. electricity is used for air conditioning.
• 43% of the U.S. peak energy load in summer months is for air conditioning.
• EZ Snap exterior shade screens can lower interior temperatures by up to 15 degrees F
• Millions of birds could be saved annually if the use of exterior shades increased by as little 10%
• Cooling costs can be reduced by up to 60% with using an exterior window shade
• Windows facing the summer sun can let in the equivalent amount of heat as a 1500 watt electric heater for every 10 sq/ft of glass
• Exterior shades have 7 benefits in one product – Lower energy costs, increased comfort, reduced glare, reduced U.V. damage to interior, day-time privacy, eliminate bird strikes, and windows look cleaner (less sun to reflect off of dirt)
Posted by EZSnapDirect on January 16, 2012 | No Comments
Three benefits, one product.
By simply installing exterior window shades on your boat or yacht, you are getting three great benefits the moment there installed.
Yacht Blinds - EZ Snap Yacht & Boat Shades
Privacy: Many boat owners spend just as much time on their boats, moored in the marina, as they do out on the water. When you’re sitting in your boats cabin, the last thing you want is to have every single person who walks by looking in at you. Exterior boat blinds give you day-time privacy. Anyone trying to looking in from the outside will find it almost impossible, but if you are sitting in the inside looking out, you will see out clearly, as if the shades where not even there.
Heat Block: The sun is a powerful force and although it’s great to work on your tan while out on the water, there are times when you just want the comfort of the cool cabin of your boat. Exterior boat shades not only stop the sun before it enters the glass, they also shade and cool the glass itself. The EZ Snap exterior boat shades block up to 90% of the sun’s heat without blocking the view.
U.V. Protection: The ultraviolet rays of the sun have the power to quickly discolor and ruined the interior seating and woodwork of your boat. Exterior shades and blinds for your yacht or boat filter the damaging UV rays entering your cabin. This substantially lessens the amount of damage they can do to your expensive boat interior.
They also cut down and the glare from the sun and the water. Sorry, I guess that’s 4 benefits in one product, not three.
Happy boating!
Posted by EZSnapDirect on December 22, 2011 | No Comments
Are you tired of listening to the constant drone of your RV’s air conditioner?
RV solar shades by EZ Snap
There is a better way. By simply adding exterior RV solar shades or blinds to your RV, you can substantially reduce or even eliminate the need to run your RV air conditioning.
Why do exterior RV solar blinds work so well at stopping heat, compared to interior RV blinds? The secret is in the fact that they stop the heat before it enters the RV window, as well as, they also shade the glass of the RV window from the hot rays of the sun. In hot areas like Texas and Arizona, exterior RV solar shades are very common. On large class A motor homes, the front windshield is commonly covered due to its large size and for privacy. Many of today’s modern fifth wheel trailers also have large windows in the back or sides that benefit from a reduction of solar gain and an increase in privacy.
Day time privacy is one of the main benefits of adding a RV solar shade. With the EZ Snap RV solar screens installed on the RV, it is very difficult, if not impossible to see into the RV form the outside during the day. This is particularly handy in the close quarters of some of today’s crowded RV parks.
The recent innovation of the EZ Snap fastener system is now allowing RV owners to install their own RV solar shades. The EZ Snap shading mesh is a non-fray material that can be cut and shaped right on-site by the RV owner. This has substantially reduced the cost of the RV solar shades and blinds by removing the expensive labour of having them custom built by an upholstery shop.
Whether you have a motorhome, 5th wheel, park model or trailer, installing your own RV solar blinds is a sure way to instantly increase your comfort and privacy.
Posted by EZSnapDirect on December 16, 2011 | No Comments
The new and improved EZ Snap adhesive stud is now available. The holding power and performance of this new stud has greatly improved over the original.
We have worked with 3M™ on this stud to ensure that it will stand up to extremely hot or cold temperatures, as well as severe winds. As always, this adhesive stud is the ideal solution for attaching all the various EZ Snap™ products, except on wooden, rough or porous surfaces. With those types of surfaces, our stainless steel screw studs are still your best choice. This new stud is now our standard and the original is now discontinued.
These new studs are also now available in a variety of colors. White, black and beige studs are now available. This allows you to better match the stud to the mounting surface color. That way, if your EZ Snap™ product is removed, the studs do a better job of blending in to the mounting surface.
Posted by EZSnapDirect on December 8, 2011 | No Comments
One of the best ways to brighten up a dark room is a well-placed skylight or two. Skylights are fantastic for adding natural light to a home, but they are also one of the biggest sources for excessive heat buildup in a home.
Even though skylights tend to be much smaller in size than the typical windows, they can easily allow too much heat and light into the home. This is due to the fact that they are placed on the roof, usually directly facing the sun. This location and angle allows the sun’s heating rays to directly enter the home, usually for most of the daylight hours. Interior blinds are helpful at reducing the excessive light that enters, but they do little to stop heat. As with any shade or blind to be effective, they must be installed on the outside of the skylite or window.
Exterior shades and blinds on skylights, not only shade the skylight glass itself; they also stop the heat before it enters the skylight glass. Once the heat enters the home it’s too late. Heat continues to build up, eventually raising the interior temperature. The benefit of adding an exterior skylight shade like EZ snap™ to your skylight is that, not only do you stop up to 90% of the sun’s heat, but you retain the benefit of having filtered light from the skylight.
The trick is to stop the heat while still allowing lots of ambient light to enter. After all, extra light is why you have a skylight in the first place. Customers have told us that once they had their EZ Snap™ skylight blinds installed, the light from the skylight was softened and the glare and hotspots was reduced. Exterior Skylight blinds and shades like EZ Snap™ also have the added benefit of reducing the damaging U.V. rays entering the skylight.
If you are going to add shade to reduce your heat load, your skylights are the number one place to start.
Posted by EZSnapDirect on December 1, 2011 | No Comments
Privacy without blocking your view!
There are few things more annoying than having your neighbors or people walking by staring through your windows. Closing the blinds or drawing the curtains works, but it also eliminates your view outside. When people think of getting more privacy on their windows without blocking their view, window privacy tint comes to mind.
There is a better solution though; EZ Snap™ exterior shades.
The Same Window: showing an inside view and outside view
Let’s compare.
Both window tinting privacy film and EZ Snap™ shades will give you daytime privacy from the outside. Both do this without blocking your view from the inside. So what’s the big difference?
Evening Views
At night time, the window privacy film turns your windows into giant mirrors, making it hard to see through to the outside. The reflective qualities of the film are now working against you and reflecting back all your interior lighting. EZ Snap exterior shades do not do this at all and so you still can enjoy your night time views.
End Bird Strikes
Another big advantage of using EZ Snap™ exterior shades over a window privacy film, is that it prevents bird strikes into your windows. As mentioned in our previous blogs topics, privacy or reflective window tint, actually increases the likelihood of birds flying into your windows. Privacy window film makes your windows more reflective. It’s the reflectivity of the window that makes the glass invisible to flying birds. EZ Snap™ makes the window look like a solid surface to flying birds and so they do not fly into it. So now you know how to increase your privacy and reduce bird strikes at the same time.
Posted by EZSnapDirect on December 1, 2011 | No Comments
One of the most effective ways to keep your RV from the cold winter winds is RV Skirting. RV skirting provides a barrier between the elements and the area below your RV. The skirting helps contain warm air below your RV, as well as blocking out the cold winter winds. After you have skirted in your RV, or motorhome you may want to consider a way of providing extra heat to the area under your RV. In warmer climates, something as simple as a light bulb can provide enough heat to keep the temperature above freezing. In colder climates, you may want to place an electric heater in this space.
Easy to install RV Skirting. Stay warm, Save Money!
METHOD ONE – Heat Taping
Always, be sure that there is no risk of a fire starting with your heating methods. If you have exposed plumbing, you may want to consider wrapping them with electric heat tape to further prevent against freezing.
METHOD TWO – Rigid Styrofoam
Another method of increasing your protection against the cold is to place rigid Styrofoam insulation around the area that you are planning to skirt and then installing the RV skirting. The RV skirting covers up and hides the insulation and also creates a further barrier from the cold air.
METHOD THREE – RV Skirting
Typically adding RV skirting to your motorhome or fifth wheel involves having to hire an upholstery firm to custom make an RV skirting for you. We now have an RV skirting and fifth wheel skirting installation video available on our site that will give you step by step instructions on how to install your own RV Skirting.
CLICK HERE to watch the RV Skirting Installation Video…
or contact us for more info: 1-877-439-7627 or info@ezsnapdirect.com
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