Horizon Window Treatments's Articles
Evaluating the Energy Efficiency of Window Treatments
Saving energy is good for the environment and can save you money as well. One of the best ways to make your home more energy efficient is to install window treatments that insulate. Some types of window treatments can be more effective than others at preventing heat loss or heat gain, so it’s good to know the facts about them before deciding.
Curtains and draperies can make any room look more elegant, but because of their pleats and folds, they lose heat through convection. Most conventional draperies can only reduce heat loss by 10% when they are drawn unless they are hung as close to the window as possible, a cornice is installed at the top and the drapery is sealed at both sides and overlapped in the center. However, the fact that draperies lose heat through convection makes them ideal for warm weather when your main concern is heat gain. Medium-colored draperies with white-plastic backings have been found to reduce heat gain by up to 33%.
Another type of window treatment that is better suited to warm weather is blinds. Blinds don’t help much when it comes to preventing heat loss because of the numerous openings between the slats. These openings, however, make it very easy to control light and ventilation. Reflective blinds take it a step further as these are designed to reflect the sun’s rays back through the glass before they can heat the room up or cause damage. When completely lowered and closed on a sunlit window, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by around 45%.
The best window treatments for preventing heat loss are shades. Cellular or honeycomb shades minimize heat loss by trapping air within the “cells” of the shades, but they must be installed correctly to accomplish this. The correct way to install shades is as close to the glass as possible with the sides of the shade held close to the wall. For maximum efficiency in the winter, shades should be raised on the side of the house that receives the most sun during the day and then lowered at night.
