Can The Quality Of Your Window Coverings Help Save You Money On Your Bills?

Your window coverings, such as your curtains, blinds, and shutters, can definitely help save you money on electricity bills. But, how?  This question will be answered in detail below to help you choose the right window covering that will best give you money savings. 

High-Quality Blinds Can Save You Money

Blinds offer many ways to control light. The slatted design allows some natural light to enter your room, even when the blinds are fully closed. Blinds are better than curtains when it comes to light control because the latter blocks virtually all light. You can find the best window blinds that match your home design and provide energy-savings at reputable sites, such as makemyblinds.co.uk.

Aside from the light control feature, investing in high-quality blinds offers you savings. But, how do blinds help you achieve such?  Here’s how: 

• Closing The Blinds: When you close the blinds at the right time of the day, it reduces the energy you use at home. For example, when the light shines into your windows during summer, the direct light and heat entering your property can be controlled with blinds. Closing the blinds makes your air conditioning unit use less energy. During cold winter nights, heat dissipates through windows. Closing the blinds provides insulation to reduce heat loss.

• Opening The Blinds: When you open your blinds at the right time, it can also help you save on electricity bills. For example, the sunlight shines through your windows to warm your interior during sunny winter days, which is referred to as passive solar heating. It's an effective design strategy as it reduces your home’s energy consumption.

• Reflective Blinds: These blinds reflect both light and heat, which are beneficial in keeping homes cool during summer and in reflecting interior heat in winter.

• Exterior And Interior Blinds: Blinds can either be exterior or interior. Interior blinds are easy to install and replace, and convenient to operate. On the other hand, exterior blinds are specifically designed for greater solar control. Exterior blinds can be made of vinyl, wood, steel, or aluminium, which are sturdier than interior blinds. They block the sunlight and heat before passing through the glass windows.

High-Quality Curtains Are Energy-Efficient

One of the most important window treatment considerations is energy efficiency. Choosing the right type of curtains can help reduce your energy usage. Curtains refer to window treatments made of fabric, and which are designed to fit the size and shape of a window. They come in different styles that can instantly upgrade your home’s ambiance and promote better cooling or heating, depending on the weather. 

Here are some effective ways you can use curtains to save on your energy bills:

• Hang Curtains Close To The Windows: Hanging your curtains to the sides, closer to the windows, using magnetic tape or Velcro, ensures that heat cannot escape or enter around the curtains’ sides.

• Close The Curtains: During summer, closing the curtains blocks direct sunlight to avoid direct heat.

• Open The Curtains: During winter, you can open the curtains. This way, the sunlight enters and warms up your room.

High-Quality Shutters For Maximum Energy Savings

Shutters can make your home beautiful and insulated. They are usually installed in tight-fitting window frames, which helps reduce heat loss. It creates air spaces to insulate windows. The thick material of window shutters helps prevent heat from moving and escaping between the glass and window covering, which makes your home heat-efficient, as well as helps you save on energy bills.

Here are some tips to further stretch your energy savings when installing window shutters:  

• Add Curtains: The great thing about shutters is that you can combine them with curtains to make your home more beautiful and insulated. Adding curtains improves heat retention in your living spaces.  

• Heat Transfer Resistance: High-quality shutters have high heat transfer resistance or R-value. Window treatments with higher R-values can resist heat loss more. When you install a shutter to a single-glazed window, the R-value can be doubled or tripled. 

• Easy-To-Maintain Interior Shutters: Choose interior shutters over exterior shutters because they are easier to maintain. Exterior shutters can easily build up dirt, which makes them harder to clean and maintain over time. Also, they are more exposed to outdoor elements, such as rain, snow, and sunlight. With constant wear and tear, the shutter material might weaken, which makes them less effective at controlling heat.

How To Choose Window Treatments To Help You Save Money 

It has already been discussed that the quality of your windows can help you save on your energy bills. But, how do you choose the best one for your home?  Here are some tips in choosing the best window treatment for your home to ensure energy savings:

1.Deal With A Reputable Supplier

If you want to invest in high-quality window treatments, make sure to source what you need from a trusted supplier. For instance, you can visit the website of the blinds manufacturer or seller to know what their products are made from and check what customers are saying about them.

2. Consider The Features

Check the energy saving features of the window treatment you are planning to buy. For instance, you might want to invest in plantation shutters with R-3 value, having the same rating for double-glazed windows or a shutter with a 1.5-inch panel rated R-9, likened to a 2.5-inch-thick wall insulation.

3. Consider The Benefits

Window treatments are great insulators. They can keep heat and light from entering your property in summer. During winter, window treatments can help contain heat. Attain maximum energy efficiency by considering investing in high-quality cellular shades, Roman blinds, dual shades, draperies, or shutters.
Conclusion

Window treatments, such as blinds, curtains, and shutters, can help you reduce your energy expenditure. By closing and opening them at the right time, they can better control light and heat entering your home in summer, as well as cool air during winter.

Choosing the right window treatment for your home will certainly give you more savings in your electricity bills. Make sure to use high-quality window treatments with the right features to obtain the maximum benefits.