When you’re looking for new window treatments, you might be surprised by how many things you have to consider. Of course, you’ll want to choose ones that work well with your home’s decor. You also have to consider how much privacy you want to be able to have in a room. But your window coverings are more than just a decorative statement. If you’re serious about improving your home’s energy efficiency, you can use window coverings to control the amount of heat that comes into a room so you can be more comfortable without having to rely so much on your furnace or air conditioner.
Even if you’ve had energy-efficient vinyl replacement windows installed in your home, you can still save even more money on your heating and cooling bills simply by choosing the right type of window coverings.
Curtains
When you live in a place like Michigan, where it can get hot during the summer and bitterly cold in the winter, you may want to change your curtains according to the seasons. During the hot summer months, curtains lined with a reflective material will help prevent heat from the sun from getting into your home and making it uncomfortably warm. By using this type of curtain in the summer, you could be able to reduce your solar heat gain by as much as 33%. Once winter starts to roll around again, you could switch to thermal curtains to help keep cold air out and keep the heat from your furnace inside your home.
Honeycomb/Cellular Shades
Honeycomb or cellular shades are an excellent option if you’re looking for both privacy and energy efficiency. Unlike regular blinds, honeycomb/cellular shades have a unique design that is excellent for helping to control the amount of heat generated by the sun. Honeycomb shades come in all sorts of styles, ranging from blackout shades to ones made of a rather sheer material, so you should be able to find a honeycomb shade that works for you, no matter how much light you want to let in.
Blinds and Shutters
Blinds and shutters are always a big hit with homeowners because they make it very easy to control the amount of natural light and fresh air that comes in through the window. If you want to prevent heat from getting into your home, blinds that are white or reflective can help prevent the sun from heating up your house when they’re lowered and closed. However, blinds are often made of materials that aren’t particularly good insulators, like aluminum.
Another option to consider is having exterior blinds installed on windows that get a lot of direct sunlight. Exterior blinds tend to be more effective than interior blinds at keeping rooms comfortable because they block heat before it enters your house.
Shutters tend to be made of heavier materials like wood and vinyl so they’re better insulators than aluminum blinds. Many homeowners prefer the look of shutters over regular blinds. Shutters are also unique for being the only type of window treatment that can add value to your home, since they stay with the home when it’s sold.
