Homeowners are trying to make their homes more energy efficient by regulating their thermostats and buying energy-efficient appliances. Why pay more for energy costs in your home if you don’t have to? To get the biggest bang for your buck, consider window treatment products in Ann Arbor to save valuable money on your heating and cooling costs. New and modern window covering solutions are both energy efficient and, very attractive, so you don’t need to give up beautiful windows to be effective. Read on to discover the different types of window treatment products on the market today.
Indoor Plantation Shutters
Indoor plantation shutters are a real work of beauty to add to your windows. They are made out of hardwood or faux wood materials and give you great window insulation properties when they are closed. The cells in wood naturally have insulation in them, and the faux wood versions do the same. Shutters are most effective in the hot summertime, and also in the cold winter months.
Restricting the sunlight that beams inside can also save you on your energy costs because you won’t need to use artificial lighting on days that have mild temperatures. Shutting the louvers in the summer saves your valuable energy, and opening them in the winter warms your home up, so you use less heating to be comfortable.
Window Shades
Window shades are also energy efficient products for your home. They come in a large variety of different styles.
Insulated cellular shades are considered the most energy efficient window shades. They are also called honeycomb shades because they have small honeycomb-shaped cells in between two layers of fabric to trap air next to your windows when they are closed. They trap the hot air in the summer and the cold air in the winter without allowing it to enter your home, thereby reducing your need for energy costs for heating and cooling. According to Energy.gov, insulated cellular shades reduce the sun’s heat by about 80%, and they also reduce your heat loss through your windows in the winter months by about 40%.
Roman and roller shades are also window shade options for saving energy. These types of shades sit very close to the window to act as insulators, and each is said to reduce your heat loss in the window by about 30%. Choose thicker fabrics for the best results in energy efficiency.
Solar shades are quite popular products as well. They are made of a mesh material that looks much like a window screen, and they block out the sun’s harsh UV rays to keep your home cooler. The specialized materials they are made from still allow you to see outside clearly even when solar shades are down.
Window Blinds
Blinds are also a great choice for energy efficiency, as both horizontal and vertical variations. Window blinds are easy to operate, so it’s easy to adjust the vanes in them to obtain filtered light and some warmth from the sun in your home. When they are shut in the summer, the sun’s rays can’t penetrate them and get inside, so this gives your air conditioner a break to save you money. The reverse is also true in the winter, so you can use less energy for heating your home.
Window blinds work well for passive solar heating. In the winter, allow sunlight in to help warm your home and use less heating. In the summer, when temperatures drop some at night, you can slightly open your blinds vanes to let some of the daytime heat escape after dark to help with your cooling cost.
Draperies and Curtains
Draperies and curtains can also be energy efficient if you choose wisely. They are not as energy efficient as some other types of window covering solutions, but they do help. You can overlap your panels in the center and put Velcro on the sides fastened to your wall to help trap air by the windows.
You can purchase room darkening drapes or add a blackout liner to your fabric of choice for better insulation in your home. YOu also get lighting and privacy control with draperies and curtains.
Using a white liner on the rear of your drapes or curtains will reflect light to keep your home cooler in the summer months, especially if you get a lot of sunshine and heat in a window. Choosing a medium color will allow some light into your home and reduce the need for artificial lighting with lamps or overhead lights.
Motorized Window Treatments
For the cream of the crop solution for energy savings, consider motorized window treatments. You can program them to open and close at preset times to block out the heat and sunlight or the cold air in the winter. They can operate even if you aren’t at home, and you can override the programs you set by the touch of a button on the remote control or with the help of an app on any Smartphone or tablet.
The combination of motorized window treatments in your Smart home with a Smart thermostat really saves you a lot of energy costs. You can program the thermostat to a warmer temperature while you are at work in the warm months and then have it cool down just before you arrive home so you can walk into a comfortable temperature in your home. Combine this with your window treatments automatically closing in warm months when you leave home, and you will get fantastic savings.
Conclusion
You have many modern choices of energy efficient window treatment products. Motorized window treatments are the best for saving valuable money, but your other options help as well. Contact us at Creative Windows for your Ann Arbor window treatments to start saving valuable money today!
