Project Spotlight — Mint Hill, NC • Mecklenburg County
A Mirage H4500 motorized retractable unit with Twitchell Nano 95 Granite fabric transforms an open ADU porch into a shaded, comfortable retreat, with the freedom to open it back up completely whenever the homeowner wants.
This homeowner in Mint Hill had a well-built accessory dwelling unit in the backyard, complete with an open front porch. The porch was a great feature in the mornings, but by the time late afternoon rolled around, the western sun poured directly onto the porch and into the ADU, making both spaces uncomfortably hot and bright. The homeowner wanted to reclaim those evening hours and make the porch genuinely usable again, without permanently closing it off.
Mint Hill summers bring the kind of heat that builds through the day and peaks right when most people want to step outside and unwind. Add in the humidity that settles across Mecklenburg County from late spring through early fall, and an unshaded porch facing the afternoon sun quickly becomes a place people avoid rather than enjoy. This homeowner felt that every day. They wanted a solution that would let them control their environment without sacrificing the open feel they loved in the cooler parts of the day.
The goal was clear: shade the porch and the front of the ADU during the evenings to stop the space from overheating, and keep the flexibility to leave it fully open in the mornings or on mild days.
Valverax installed a Mirage H4500 Motorized Retractable Unit on the porch opening. The unit uses a clean square cassette housing at the top that keeps the screen protected and neatly stored when not in use. The screen deploys and retracts at the touch of a remote, plugging directly into the existing outdoor outlet so there was no need for any new electrical work.
For the fabric, the homeowner chose Twitchell Nano 95 Granite, a high-performance shade fabric that blocks the vast majority of solar radiation while still allowing air to pass through. It cuts the glare and heat from direct sun without making the porch feel dark or enclosed. The granite tone also matched the home's exterior palette beautifully.
The screen uses a keater track system on each side, where the fabric edge wraps securely around a small dowel-style rod that sits inside the side channel. This keeps the screen taut and stable even when the breeze picks up, which matters on a property with open yard exposure. The keater system holds more firmly than a zipper track in those conditions and gives the whole installation a solid, finished look.
Because the homeowner wanted shading only, not a full enclosure, just the one front-facing screen was installed. There are no side screens, which preserves the breezy, open character of the porch on all sides except where the sun comes in directly.
The Mirage H4500 motor lets the homeowner raise or lower the screen with a remote. No cranks, no hooks, no hassle. When the sun starts bearing down in the evenings, one button press changes the whole experience on the porch.
This shade fabric is engineered to block intense solar heat and glare. The Granite color tone keeps the look sophisticated while the 95 openness factor still allows airflow and visibility, so the porch never feels stuffy or closed in.
The side channels use a keater system rather than a zipper track. The fabric edge wraps around a small rod inside the channel, holding the screen firmly in place and keeping it tracking straight every time it is deployed or retracted.
The homeowner told us they love having the flexibility to leave the porch completely open in the mornings when conditions are pleasant, then drop the shade in the afternoon without any permanent commitment. That flexibility is exactly what a motorized retractable unit delivers.
The unit plugged into the existing outdoor outlet on the ADU porch. No trenching, no new wiring, no electrical permit required. The installation was clean and the footprint was minimal.
This system is not limited to shade fabric. Homeowners can choose a screen mesh to keep out Mecklenburg County pollen and bugs, or opt for a 30 mil vinyl film panel that also keeps out rain and wind while maintaining an open, airy feel. One track system supports multiple use cases.
The Mirage H4500 is available with two track configurations. The keater system, used on this project, wraps the fabric edge around a small rod-like dowel inside the side channel. This provides a firm, consistent hold that keeps the fabric aligned and taut through repeated cycles. The alternative is a zipper track, where fabric with a sewn-in zipper bead slides into a channeled extrusion. Both systems are available in multiple colors, and both work with shade fabric, screen mesh, or 30 mil vinyl film panels depending on the homeowner's needs.
For this Mint Hill homeowner, white was the right call. It matched the ADU's trim and posts exactly, and the result looks like it was always meant to be there.
See the Mirage H4500 installation in action on this Mint Hill ADU porch. The videos cover the keater track system, the fabric choice, and how the shade drops to block the evening sun.
A motorized retractable screen is one of the most flexible porch upgrades available in the Mint Hill and greater Charlotte area. It gives you the control to adapt your outdoor space to whatever the day calls for. On a crisp fall morning, the screen stays up and the porch is completely open. When the afternoon sun turns the space into an oven, or when Carolina pollen starts coating every surface in sight, you drop the screen and the environment changes immediately.
Unlike a permanent enclosure, a retractable system lets you keep the character of an open porch while gaining real protection when you need it. For homeowners with ADUs, guest cottages, or secondary structures in Mecklenburg County, this is a particularly smart investment because it improves the livability of the space without requiring a major construction project.
Fabric options give you even more flexibility. Choose shade cloth to cut solar heat and glare, screen mesh to block pollen and insects, or 30 mil vinyl film panels that deflect rain and wind while keeping an open, airy feel. The same Mirage H4500 track system supports all three options, so your needs can change without requiring a new installation.
Valverax serves homeowners across Mint Hill, Mecklenburg County, and the broader Charlotte region in both North Carolina and South Carolina. If your porch is losing hours of usability to sun, heat, bugs, or pollen, reach out today for a free estimate.
Valverax installs motorized retractable screen systems, porch enclosures, and sunrooms across Mint Hill, Charlotte, and the surrounding Mecklenburg County area. Get a free estimate and find out what the right solution looks like for your home.