Most
homeowners love having spacious windows that let in lots of natural
light and provide beautiful views of the surrounding neighborhood.
Unfortunately, windows are also a common place for heat loss and heat
gain, which causes you to use more energy to heat and cool your home.
Luckily, you can find many types of window coverings that will help.
Insulated
Drapes
Windows
are notorious for heat loss and gain because of the glass. Sunlight
and heat can pass directly through, leaking inside your home. When
the glass gets cold, it can also cause drafts inside the home. If
your biggest goal is to stop energy loss, consider insulated drapes.
There
are many types of insulated drapes, but most consist of four parts.
The first is the decorative layer that you see inside your home.
Next, these drapes have a layer of dense insulated foam, which acts
as a barrier against heat and sound. A vapor barrier blocks moisture
from condensation, and last, the reflective film bounces heat back
inside the house.
Cellular
Shades
Cellular
shades have been around for a while, and like insulated drapes, they
can help with insulation and noise reduction. Cellular shades, unlike
traditional slatted shades, are one solid piece, so you can't adjust
them like you can with slatted shades. However, also unlike
traditional shades, they don't have any cords or strings, which often
pose a safety risk for children and pets.
Cellular
shades are different because they have small pockets or cells, giving
them a honeycomb appearance. These cells help airflow, which helps
prevent energy loss and gain. Some cellular shades have more layers
of cells, while others have different shapes of cells. Both of these
factors can affect how well the shade works.
Roman
Shades
Roman
shades offer insulation with great style because they are unique and
come in many styles and fabrics. Like a mixture of blinds and
curtains, you get the benefits of a shade with the style and beauty
of a curtain. As with the previously mentioned coverings, of course,
Roman shades need to be fully closed to really work, which can impact
your view and natural sunlight inside the home.
When
choosing your Roman shades, consider the different styles to
determine which would best suit your home. One common style is the
hobbled fold, which has loops of fabric for decoration. On the other
hand, if you want a patterned fabric, a flat fold is likely the
better choice.
Solar
Shades
Solar
shades are the right choice if you want to boost energy efficiency
without impacting the view through the window. Unlike the other
options, solar shades are actually see-through. Like tinted glass,
they do make your windows look dark, but you can still see outside.
As an added bonus, once it starts to get dark outside, these shades
will block the view from the outside of your house so that people
can't see what you're doing.
However,
solar shades are one of the least effective options for
energy-efficiency because they don’t offer many insulating
properties. Instead, the shade simply filters out some of the light,
particularly UV light, which can cause harm and damage to fabrics and
materials. You can choose from many different types of solar shades.
Some can completely black out any light, while others only filter a
little, giving you the freedom to choose the ideal shade for you.
If
your energy bills keep rising and you've tried everything, consider
your window coverings. Energy can easily sneak right out your windows
unless you insulate them. Blocking sunlight from entering the home
will also help keep your home naturally cooler in the summer. For
more information about window coverings like drapes and
blinds, contact
us
at
Sylvan's and Phillip's Drapes and Blinds today.
