This case study comes from another Phantom dealer up in Indiana, but we’re sharing it because the homeowners’ problem is one we hear about constantly down here in Tampa Bay. Different climate, same fix.
Fast Facts
Tony and Michelle love being outside. They also love their home. What they did not love was a back patio that punished them with glare and heat half the year, then sat unused once the weather turned cool. They wanted one outdoor space that worked through every season.
Region: Kokomo, Indiana, USA
Product Type: Phantom motorized screens
Fast Fact: Motorized screens cut down the sun and heat in summer, then trap warmth from an outdoor fireplace when the temperature drops.
The Need
Their balcony got hammered by the sun. Too bright to sit out there comfortably. Too hot to enjoy. And on the flip side, when the cooler months rolled in, they wanted a way to make the space cozy enough to keep using, ideally something that worked with the outdoor fireplace they already had.
Two problems, opposite seasons. One space.
The Solution
Phantom motorized screens with a cable guide system. The cable guide was key here. No bulky side tracks, which kept the view clean and let the screens work on an open balcony without changing how the structure looked.
When the sun is harsh, the screens drop down and knock back the glare and heat. When the screens are up, the view is wide open. In winter, lowering the screens helps hold the warmth from the fireplace inside the space instead of letting it drift off.
What Makes This Project Special
It’s the same patio doing two completely different jobs depending on the time of year. Cool, shaded, comfortable entertaining spot in summer. Warm, sheltered fireside retreat in winter. No remodeling, no adding walls, no losing the view they bought the house for.
That is the whole point of motorized screens. They show up when you need them and disappear when you don’t.
Why This Story Matters in Tampa Bay
Tony and Michelle’s setup is in Indiana, but swap their winter problem for our summer one and the story plays out the same way across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco counties.
Plenty of homes around here have a lanai, balcony, or covered patio that gets cooked by the western sun every afternoon. The pool deck heats up. The furniture fades. By 3 PM in July, the space nobody wants to use is the one you spent the most money building.
Then there’s the bug situation, which Indiana cannot really compete with. Love bugs in May. No-see-ums at dusk year-round. Mosquitoes whenever it rains, which is often. A screen that drops down at the push of a button takes care of that without trapping you behind a permanent cage.
We’ve installed this same setup on pool patios in South Tampa, lanais out in Wesley Chapel and Riverview, and waterfront porches over in Clearwater and St. Pete. The cable guide version Tony and Michelle got works especially well on the open-corner lanais you see all over Florida, since there are no posts or tracks blocking the view.
If You’ve Got a Patio You’re Not Using Enough
We come out, measure the space, and walk through what would actually work for how you live. No subcontractors, no high-pressure pitch. If motorized is overkill for what you need, we’ll tell you.
Call us at 1-727-372-5900 or get in touch through the form. Free in-home estimates anywhere in the Tampa Bay area.