How Energy Efficient Are Different Window Treatments?
According to energy.gov, windows are responsible for 30% of a home's heating and cooling energy loss. Combat this loss with window treatments, such as blinds for windows, blinds, or shades. Window treatments like that are one of the easiest places to focus your energy conservation efforts.
How To Make Your Home Energy Efficient
Window treatments can make a huge difference on your home’s energy bill while providing you with light control and a stylish interior. In general, all window treatments offer energy efficiency to a varying extent. Closed blinds and drapes will effectively cool your home and reduce the strain on your air conditioner, while open ones will help heat your home without using your heater.
You can also layer shades or blinds behind drapes to increase the energy efficiency.
Install Insulated Cellular Shades
Insulated cellular shades are made of pleated materials that fold up like an accordion. They create layers using a honeycomb cross-section design to help with insulation. Because of this, they have one of the highest R-values of all window coverings, meaning they are very resistant to heat conduction. In other words, they are one of the best window treatments if you want to keep your home cool.
Insulated cellular shades are a good choice if you are looking for significant energy savings from their window coverings. They also offer privacy and increased home value if they are high-quality and well fitted.
Tightly installed cellular shades can reduce heat loss through windows by 40% or more. This can equate to about 20% of energy savings in the summer, which means less strain on your wallet and your air conditioning.
There is a difference in R-values depending on how they’re installed too. Cellular shades that operate on side tracks are most effective at increasing the R-value of windows. Shades that open from both the top and bottom offer more light control.
Roller or Roman Shades Are Energy Efficient
Roller shades are budget-friendly window treatment options that, as their name suggests, roll open and closed. They are normally hung by a rod at the top of the window, and fit the window perfectly.
Roman shades are similar to roller, but they fold down in a gentle cascade of fabric.
Shades typically fit come in a variety of fabrics, colors, and weaves to offer your chosen level of light control and efficiency. Heavier fabrics will typically offer slightly better thermal performance, but roller and roman shades offer only a small amount of insulation and are most effective for privacy, room darkening, and blocking sunlight
Window Blinds Save Energy
Window blinds—vertical or horizontal —are more effective at reducing summer heat gain than winter heat lost. Blinds are only second to shutters, which are more costly.
Blinds have numerous slat openings that makes it easier to control light and ventilation. This gives you control over how hard your air conditioner works: more light means more heat. The color of your blinds matters too: the lighter the color, the more reflective they are to heat. The darker, the more they will absorb heat. Additionally, there are reflective blinds that can reduce heat gain by almost 50%!
Talk With An Expert For The Best Energy Efficiency
An expert in window treatments will be able to point you in the right direction so your window treatments are both stylish and energy efficient. The best experts even offer free in-home consultations with actual samples of their product, like Budget Blinds Tempe.
Call today to schedule a free in-home consultation or find the Style Consultant nearest you.
