Sunshades and Solar Screens in Bakersfield, CA
A solar screen stops heat at the outside of the glass. Once sunlight is through the window, it is already inside the house and the air conditioner owns the problem.
External shading over glazingInterior blinds manage glare. They do very little about heat.
Shade over a stone terraceThe physics is unglamorous and reliable: shading the glass on the outside keeps the energy out of the building. Anything on the inside is intercepting heat that has already arrived.
West-facing glass is the priority in this valley. The late-afternoon sun in August comes in at a low angle, when the house is already at its warmest and the air conditioner has been running all day.
Screens are also the cheapest intervention on this site by a wide margin, which makes them the sensible first move if a full patio cover is not in budget this year.
Three things worth knowing first
Outside, not inside
Shade the glass externally or the heat is already in.
West first
Low August sun on west glass is the worst case here.
Cheapest first step
A fraction of the cost of a structure.
Sunshades and solar screens pricing
Installed planning range for this market, priced per sq ft of opening.
Permit fees are set by the City of Bakersfield or Kern County depending on the address, and are not published as figures on this site because no current schedule could be verified.
Check what applies to your address
Jurisdiction, the openness threshold and the energy code decide more here than the finish does.
Sunshades & Solar Screens in Bakersfield
Do solar screens actually reduce cooling costs?
They reduce solar heat gain through the glass they cover, which is the mechanism behind cooling load on a west wall. The size of the saving depends on how much glass you have and which way it faces.
Screens or a patio cover?
A cover shades a whole outdoor space and the wall behind it; screens shade specific windows cheaply. Many people do screens first and a cover later.
Will they make rooms dark?
They cut visible light as well as heat. Denser weaves block more of both, so the choice is a trade rather than a free win.
Do they need a permit?
Screens generally do not, being neither structural nor a building. A shade structure is a different matter. Confirm with the Building Division on (661) 326-3720 if the product attaches structurally.
What do they cost?
Planning ranges run about $12 to $28 per square foot of opening covered.
Other outdoor structures
Patio Enclosures & Sunrooms
Enclose a patio far enough and it legally becomes a room, with everything that follows.
$65 to $130 per sq ft →02Outdoor Kitchens
Gas, water and power are the budget. The cabinetry is what people look at.
$200 to $700 per linear ft of counter run →03Concrete Patios
Most patio-slab advice online is written for expansive clay. Bakersfield largely does not have it.
$12 to $24 per sq ft →05Decks
Decking material is the decision people agonise over, and here it is the one that actually matters.
$35 to $75 per sq ft →