How the Right Window Treatments Can Lower Your Energy Bill

In these trying economic times, everyone is looking for ways to cut costs. What would you say If I told you that our beautiful Snohomish County sunshine could be causing your energy bills to skyrocket? Almost 50% of your home's heating or air conditioning is lost through your windows! What an incredible statistic.

While we may not be able to control the cost of energy, we sure can control how our homes are heated and cooled.

According to the government's Department of Energy, you could reduce heat gain in your home by 65% by simply installing awnings over your south-facing windows; and a whopping 77% if you install them over west-facing windows.

It seems the trick to lowering your energy bill is finding the most effective way of manipulating the sunlight that comes through your windows. In this article, we will discuss how choosing the right window treatment can actually wind up saving you tons on your energy bill.

Curtains and Draperies

When we think of window coverings, most people immediately think of curtains and draperies. While these are both wonderful choices, they are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to window covering options. When choosing curtains or draperies for energy efficiency purposes, we suggest layering.

Layering using light filtering or room darkening liners helps to increase the insulation properties of the curtains keeping your home cooler in summer and warmer in winter. You can choose from several different fabrics and styles and best of all, installing draperies can lower the heat gain in your home by 33%.

Want more savings? Attach the sides of the draperies to the wall with velcro and lower your heat loss by 25%. Now that's savings!

Honeycomb or Cellular Blinds

Honeycomb or cellular blinds not only help conserve energy, they look incredible as well. Talk about chic and stylish, these blinds are functional and make any room look like you spent a fortune on decor.

Honeycomb blinds are a combination of honeycomb-style shade with a horizontal blind. This ingenious combination allows you to let in just the right amount of light or, if you choose, keep out a certain amount of light. The power is in your hands.

Solar Shades

Solar shades are pretty amazing. They work to diffuse and filter light so you can control exactly how much light to allow, or not allow, into your room. They also help lower the amount of heat gain from sunlight. They come in a vast array of fabrics so you are sure to find something that will fit your decor.

If you have larger, wider windows, solar shades may be the best choice for you. These fit nicely and function well in larger windows. You can also opt to have them automated, so adjusting your solar shades is as easy as touching a button.

We would love to know which window covering option you feel works best in your home. Please feel free to leave a comment and share your thoughts.

As always, if you have any questions or if we can be of assistance in any way, you can always contact us at your convenience. We would love to walk you through the window covering options that we offer at Budget Blinds.