5 Ways to Improve Energy Efficiency With New Window Blinds
Posted on: 5 October 2022
Windows can play a major role in your home's energy efficiency. Yet, replacing old windows isn't always an option due to the time and cost involved. Fortunately, there is an alternative. Updating your blinds can be easier and more cost-effective than replacing your home's windows.
1. Fit Colour to Season
Light colours reflect the sun's heat outward, while darker colours absorb the heat. This means you want lighter blinds in summer to reflect heat away from your home, and darker colours come winter when any solar heat gain in the house will reduce heating costs. If changing your blinds seasonally doesn't sound likely, then look to blinds that are light on one side and dark on the other.
2. Add a Reflective Coating
You can increase the reflectivity of your blinds even more greatly by choosing styles that have a reflective coating in addition to a lighter colour. The coating is typically designed to better reflect sunlight and heat. Some coatings also reflect away UV light, which won't affect your energy costs but will reduce sun damage on your home's interior.
3. Consider Added Insulation
Cellular shades have a unique honeycomb design that traps air. This creates a layer of insulation between your window glass and the inside of your home. Cellular shades help insulate against the heat or cold outside while also preventing cooling or heating loss from inside the home.
4. Reduce Air Leaks
One of the biggest concerns for energy efficiency in winter is air leaks that allow heat to escape. Fitted wood blinds, like plantation shutters, are fit to the window frame so well that they can greatly reduce drafts when fully closed. Fewer drafts mean less lost heat and lower fuel usage during the winter, thus increasing your home's energy efficiency. Reducing drafts can also help keep cool air inside the home during the summer months.
5. Look for Automation
Of course, your blinds will only help with energy efficiency if they are opened and closed at the right time. Many modern blinds can be programmed in a smart home automation system, allowing you to control them via an app or website. Further, you can also program the blinds so that they open and close at a preset time or in response to a light sensor placed near the window.
Visit a blinds and window treatment shop to find the best solution for your home.
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