Window coverings can help you save energy in your home

Posted by Guest Blogger on July 23, 2012

Have you ever sat in the sunshine that streams in through your home’s windows? Although that warmth feels pretty great on a cold winter day, in the summer, it can actually be adding a few degrees to your home’s temperature.

Window coverings can help save energy by preventing solar heating from occurring in your home. In the summer, close your drapes, shades and blinds early in the morning to block the sun’s heat throughout the day. This will keep your home cooler, allowing you to use your air conditioner less.

Fast forward six months to the winter. Keeping your window coverings closed at night will help keep the heat in your home. However, make sure you open them during the day to catch the free solar heat.

You don’t need anything extra fancy or expensive to accomplish this. A variety of shades, drapes, blinds and other window treatments can stop the sun from spilling its heat into your home. However, some options are better than others. Opaque roller shades with a white exterior can block 80 percent of solar heat, and white venetian blinds block 45 percent to 50 percent.

Insulated drapes and shades also stop drafts to improve indoor air comfort. They should be airtight and create dead air spaces between the window coverings and windows. These seals also help prevent warm, moist air from condensing on your windows. To be the most effective, these types of shades should be pulled down tight to the window sill. Drapes should hang all the way to the floor or rest on the window sill.

Having window coverings is an inexpensive, easy way to help you control the temperature of your home year round – without putting extra strain on your heating and cooling systems.