A motorized screen and a motorized shade are the same Phantom roll-down system with a different mesh. If your main problem is bugs, you want insect mesh, which keeps pests out and lets the breeze through. If your main problem is hot afternoon sun, glare, or nosy neighbors, you want solar or privacy mesh, which works as an exterior shade. Many Santa Clarita patios need a little of both, and the right choice comes down to which way your patio faces and how you use it.
Golden State Screen is a Phantom Screens authorized dealer and installs Phantom Motorized Screens across the Santa Clarita Valley and throughout Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties. Here’s how to tell which one your patio needs.
Screen or Shade? It Comes Down to the Mesh
Every Phantom Motorized Screen works the same way. A slim housing mounts at the top of the opening, and a Somfy motor rolls the fabric down along side tracks to close it off, then rolls it back up out of sight when you want the view back. Each screen is custom built to the opening, up to 40 feet wide.
What changes is the fabric you put in it. That one decision decides whether you end up with a bug screen, a sun shade, a privacy wall, or a weather barrier:
- Insect mesh keeps bugs out and lets the breeze through. It still blocks up to about half the sun.
- Solar mesh blocks up to 80% of the heat and cuts glare before it reaches your patio or your glass.
- Privacy mesh blocks up to 99–100% of UV and the view in from neighbors.
- Clear vinyl keeps the view and blocks wind and chill for cool evenings.
Motorized Screen vs. Motorized Shade at a Glance
| Insect Mesh (Screen) | Solar Mesh (Shade) | Privacy Mesh (Shade) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Keep bugs out | Cut heat and glare | Block the view and UV |
| Airflow | Most open | Lets air through | Lets air through |
| Sun blocked | Up to about half | Up to 80% of the heat | Up to 99–100% of UV |
| View from inside | Clearest | Filtered | Most filtered |
| Best for | Evening dining, shaded patios, bug-heavy yards | West- and south-facing patios, glare on glass | Patios that face neighbors or a street |
The short version: if you mostly use the patio after the sun goes down, insect mesh is often enough. If the patio is too hot or too bright to sit on in the afternoon, a shade mesh is what fixes it.
Why Santa Clarita Patios Often Need Shade
Santa Clarita summers bring hot, bright afternoons, and a covered patio only shades the area directly under the roof. Once the sun drops lower in the sky, it comes in sideways under the patio cover, hits the furniture and the people sitting there, and heats up the sliding doors and windows behind them.
That low-angle sun is exactly what a vertical shade is good at stopping. Solar mesh on the sunny side of the patio stops sun and heat before they reach your glass, which keeps the patio usable and helps the rooms behind big windows stay cooler.
Wind is the other local factor. With an optional Somfy wind sensor, the screens retract automatically in gusty conditions to help avoid damage, and the Somfy motor senses obstacles on the way down.
When a Motorized Screen Is the Better Pick
Insect mesh is the right call when the sun isn’t really the problem. That’s often true for:
- Patios that face north or east and are already in shade by afternoon
- Families who mostly eat and relax outside in the evening, when mosquitoes and flies come out
- Homes near landscaping, pools, or open space where bugs are the main complaint
- Anyone who wants the clearest possible view and the most airflow
When a Motorized Shade Is the Better Pick
Choose solar or privacy mesh when the patio is too hot, too bright, or too exposed. Good signs you want a shade:
- Your patio faces west or south and gets direct afternoon sun
- You squint at glare off the pool, the hardscape, or your TV
- The rooms behind your sliders heat up in the afternoon
- Your patio looks straight into a neighbor’s yard or a busy street
Solar mesh is the go-to for heat and glare. Privacy mesh goes further on blocking the view and UV.
Can You Get Both? Mixing Mesh and Dual Rollers
Yes, and it’s common. Each open side of the patio gets its own screen, so you can choose a different mesh for each side. A typical setup might use solar or privacy mesh on the sunny or street-facing side and insect mesh on the shaded side where you want the breeze.
For year-round use, Phantom also offers a dual roller that pairs insect or solar mesh with a clear vinyl panel in the same housing. Use the mesh on warm days and lower the vinyl to block wind and chill on cool nights, without giving up the view.
Controls: Let the Shade Run Itself
A shade only works if it’s down when the sun hits, which is why automation matters so much for sun control. Your options include:
- A multi-channel remote or wireless wall switch that runs each side on its own or all sides together
- A Somfy sun sensor that lowers the screens on their own when the afternoon sun hits
- A Somfy wind sensor that retracts them in gusty conditions
- Smartphone control and compatibility with Lutron and Crestron home automation
What Affects the Price
We don’t quote prices sight unseen, because every patio is different. What moves the price is the size of each opening, how many sides you cover, the mesh you choose, recessed or surface mounting, and the controls and sensors you add. Finishes include 9 colors and 15 wood-grain options, or a custom match to your trim.
We measure, bring real mesh samples, and give you a free, itemized estimate. If you’d like to spread out the cost, financing is available through Affirm and Klarna. For larger motorized projects, you can also see the products in person at our showroom by appointment.
Have a restaurant, brewery, or winery patio instead? See our commercial motorized patio screens. For a full rundown of sizes and installation, read Phantom Motorized Patio Screens: What to Know Before You Buy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a motorized screen and a motorized shade?
They are the same Phantom motorized system with a different mesh. Insect mesh keeps bugs out and lets air through, while solar and privacy mesh are built to block sun, heat, glare, and the view in. We help you pick the mesh at the free measurement.
Which mesh is best for a west-facing patio in Santa Clarita?
Solar mesh is usually the starting point for strong afternoon sun because it blocks up to 80% of the heat and cuts glare. If you also want to block the view from neighbors, privacy mesh blocks up to 99–100% of UV. Bring up your bug situation too, since insect mesh is the most open for airflow.
Can I have bug screening and sun shading on the same opening?
Yes, with a dual roller. It pairs insect or solar mesh with a clear vinyl panel in one housing, so you can switch between mesh for warm days and vinyl to block wind and chill on cool evenings.
Will a motorized shade still let a breeze through?
Yes. All of the mesh options let some air pass through, and insect mesh is the most open. Clear vinyl is the only option that blocks the breeze, which is why it is used for wind and cold.
Can motorized shades lower automatically when the sun hits?
Yes. An optional Somfy sun sensor lowers the screens on their own when the afternoon sun hits, and a Somfy wind sensor retracts them in gusty conditions. They can also run from a remote, wall switch, smartphone, or Lutron and Crestron systems.
How much do Phantom Motorized Screens cost?
Price depends on the size of each opening, how many sides you cover, the mesh, the mounting style, and the controls you choose. We give you a free, itemized estimate after measuring, and financing is available through Affirm and Klarna.
Not sure whether your patio needs a screen, a shade, or both? Call or text Golden State Screen at (661) 857-4344. Text us a photo of your patio for a fast quote, and we’ll set up a free estimate.
