What’s the easiest way to reduce HVAC costs and help protect the environment? Well, choosing the right window treatment can go a long way. Here’s how to choose the most energy efficient blinds and shades for your home.
According to the Department of Energy, about 30% of your home’s heating energy gets lost through the windows. But a good quality window treatment can keep your house cool in summer and hot in winter, as well as helping you enjoy the benefits of natural light.
Choosing the right material for window treatments
When you’re shopping for new blinds or shades, you usually have a choice of three different materials: wood, fabric or metal.
Each of these has different advantages. For example, reflective aluminum shades are a good choice for hot weather, because they reflect warm sunlight away from the windows. But they’re not much good in cold weather.
Fabric shades can insulate on cold days and keep heat out on warm days. While they’re not quite as reflective as metal blinds, they’re more adaptable and some people prefer the way they look.
Best window treatments for energy efficiency
Once you’ve decided on a material, it’s time to choose the style of window treatment you want.
If you want to block out light, then roller blinds or Roman blinds are elegant and effective.
If your home experiences both hot and cold temperatures, then storm windows can help to insulate you and protect from the harshest weather. You could also look into honeycomb shades, which use “cells” of fabric to capture heat and keep your home at a consistent temperature.
And if you see a lot of hot weather, then transition blinds or solar screen shades are usually the best choice.
Every home is different. Call us today or visit our showrooms in Boca Raton, Broward County or Palm Beach to find the best energy-efficient window treatments for you.