- Shades. The DOE considers window shades the simplest and most effective way to save energy with window treatments.
- Ideal locations: Shades are flexible, so any window orientation is suitable.
- Best uses: Depending on material, color and whether they are raised or lowered, they can help reduce both solar heat gain and heat loss.
- Blinds. Both interior and exterior blinds help reduce solar heat gain while maintaining desired light, ventilation and privacy.
- Drapes. Depending on fabric weight and color, drapes help insulate your home from both solar heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter.
- Roof Overhangs. Roof overhangs operate similarly to awnings. If designed properly, the right roof overhang not only will block solar heat in summer but will allow desirable heat to help ...
- Best uses: Solar heat gain and heat loss in new construction projects. Awnings are a sensible option for existing windows.
- Mesh Window Screens. Mesh window screens reduce heat gain by diffusing solar radiation. Experts advise mounting the screen to an exterior frame and covering the entire window.
How can window coverings reduce heat loss in the winter?
Window coverings can be used for insulation as well as decoration and privacy. Window coverings that are well-chosen can help to decrease heat loss in the winter. Winter is coming, it’s time to get your home ready to keep the cold out and the heat in.
What is the best type of window film to reduce heat?
The film reduces heat gain the entire year, including in winter months, which might actually benefit from solar heat. Silver, mirror-like film works better than more transparent film. High reflectivity film works well on very large windows, like on the garage here, where cool temperatures are desirable.
What are the best window treatments for your home?
Shades are some of the best window treatments because of their simplicity and effectiveness. There’s a secret to their success, though: being properly hung. You want to get each shade as close to the window glass as possible, with the sides of the shade as close to the wall as possible, to create a sealed air space.
Do double glazing windows reduce heat loss?
In fact, according to Cornell University , “A double-glazed window loses only half the heat of a single-glazed window and is cost effective. Triple glazing reduces the heat loss another 30 percent but usually is not cost-effective. Each additional layer of glass reduces the solar heat gain.”
How to save energy with window shades?
The DOE considers window shades the simplest and most effective way to save energy with window treatments. Proper installment is key. Mounting shades as close to the glass as possible and right up against the adjacent wall creates a tight seal that minimizes both heat gain and loss. Shades with dual layers of fabric — a light color on one side and a darker color on the other— add more functionality. Try reversing the shades based on the season; the light color will reflect heat in summer, while the dark color will absorb heat during winter.
How do blinds help with solar heat?
Both interior and exterior blinds help reduce solar heat gain while maintaining desired light, ventilation and privacy. When closed and lowered on a sunny window, reflective blinds (white or near white) are capable of reducing heat gain by 45 percent.
How does white plastic reduce solar heat?
According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), something as simple as a set of medium-colored drapes backed with white plastic reduces solar heat gain by as much as 33 percent. When the hot months arrive soon, don’t just blast the air conditioning.
How much heat gain can an awning reduce?
Exterior awnings can reduce solar heat gain by up to 65 percent for south-facing windows and 77 percent for west-facing windows.
What color shade absorbs heat?
Shades with dual layers of fabric — a light color on one side and a darker color on the other— add more functionality. Try reversing the shades based on the season; the light color will reflect heat in summer, while the dark color will absorb heat during winter.
Is it better to put exterior blinds inside or outside?
Save Photo. Exterior blinds are potentially even more effective than interior blinds. Unlike interior blinds, they block heat before it is transmitted through the window and warms up the room. They are tricky to add to an existing window, however, so are best left for new construction.
Can a roof overhang block solar heat?
Roof overhangs operate similarly to awnings. If designed properly, the right roof overhang not only will block solar heat in summer but will allow desirable heat to help warm your interior in winter. Consult an architect or a designer experienced in passive solar design.
Why are cellular shades good for winter?
The best part about cellular shades is that they can help you cut costs during both winter and summer.
How do cellular shades work?
Cellular shades derive their name from the cellular or “honeycomb” design of their cross-section. The air inside these little cells in the middle of the shade helps form a layer of insulation that reduces the amount of heat conducted through your window. The best part about cellular shades is that they can help you cut costs during both winter and summer. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that tightly installed cellular shades reduce heat loss through windows by a least 40% during colder months and reduce solar heat through windows by up to 80% during warmer months.
How does white plastic reduce solar heat?
According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), something as simple as a set of medium-colored drapes backed with white plastic reduces solar heat gain by as much as 33 percent. When the hot months arrive soon, don’t just blast the air conditioning.
How to reduce heat gain in summer?
Drapes. Depending on fabric weight and color, drapes help insulate your home from both solar heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter. As stated earlier, medium-colored drapes with a white plastic backing can reduce solar heat gain by as much as 33 percent if left closed during hot months.
How much heat gain can an awning reduce?
Exterior awnings can reduce solar heat gain by up to 65 percent for south-facing windows and 77 percent for west-facing windows.
Why use high reflectivity film?
High Reflectivity Film. Because of high reflectivity film’s permanence, the DOE suggests using it in climates with short winters. The film reduces heat gain the entire year, including in winter months, which might actually benefit from solar heat. Silver, mirror-like film works better than more transparent film.
What are reflective blinds?
When closed and lowered on a sunny window, reflective blinds (white or near white) are capable of reducing heat gain by 45 percent. Ideal locations: South- and west-facing windows. Best uses: Reducing heat gain where you still want options for light, ventilation and privacy.
Is an exterior blind better than an interior blind?
Find a window treatment specialist in your area. Exterior blinds are potentially even more effective than interior blinds. Unlike interior blinds, they block heat before it is transmitted through the window and warms up the room.
Can a retractable awning block solar heat?
Roof Overhangs. Roof overhangs operate similarly to awnings. If designed properly, the right roof overhang not only will block solar heat in summer but will allow desirable heat to help warm your interior in winter.
Effective window treatment during the winter
The best option is to choose less costly, energy-efficient window coverings. Even if your home’s architectural design is already efficient, blinds, shades, and draperies are all choices that can make your windows even more energy efficient.
Why window Insulation is required?
While windows provide an essential connection to the outside world, they may also be energy leaks. During the winter, they cause warm air to exit. As a result, your electricity expenses will rise, putting a strain on your finances.
How much heat gain can blinds reduce?
According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), when highly reflective interior blinds are lowered and closed on a sunny window , they can reduce heat gain by around 45 percent. If you want to let a little light in, instead, they can also be adjusted to reflect the sunlight on a light-colored ceiling, diffusing the light without much heat or glare.
How to reduce heat gain from the sun?
One of the best ways to reduce heat gain from the summer sun in your home is to have plantation shutters professionally installed on each of your windows. Typically made of wood, but sometimes made of vinyl, the shutters are custom-fitted to each window and hung on hinges. As a bonus, these tasteful, long-lasting window treatments are often coveted ...
Why do drapes stay cooler in summer?
Add to that the fact that the drapes stay cooler than some other window treatments in the summer because their pleats and folds lose heat through convection, and you’ve got yourself a bonafide energy-efficient — and tasteful — window treatment.
Why are shade windows so popular?
Shades are some of the best window treatments because of their simplicity and effectiveness. There’s a secret to their success, though: being properly hung. You want to get each shade as close to the window glass as possible, with the sides of the shade as close to the wall as possible, to create a sealed air space.
What is a honeycomb shade?
Another shade option is the honeycomb style, which features a layered design that traps the air in its individual “honeycomb” cells. Air is a poor conductor of heat, so this type of shade creates an effective temperature-transfer barrier between the window and the interior room.
How to keep out the sun?
Keep Out the Sun With Energy-Efficient Window Treatments. You may not be able to replace your current windows with top-of-the-line, energy-efficient ones right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t save on energy costs in the meantime. Sometimes overlooked, window treatments, such as blinds and curtains, can actually help to keep ...
Can you reverse the shade?
That way, you can reverse the shade, depending on the season. In the summer, the reflective side should face the window, to keep the heat out. And in the winter, it should face the room, to keep the heat it.
Why are windows so hot in winter?
If you only worry about your windows during cold winter months, you’re wasting a lot of energy. That’s because windows can allow so much hot air to seep into your living space during the summer—and lose conditioned cool air as well—which makes your home uncomfortable and hikes your AC bill—yikes!
How far should window treatments be from the window?
Whichever treatment you choose, fit it as tightly as possible all the way around the window and, ideally, about one inch from the glass.
How do honeycomb shades work?
Honeycomb shades work by creating an insulating pocket of air in each cell that separates the window air space from the room air space.
What is roller shade?
Roller shades are made from heavy-duty fabric (or even wood, as pictured above) mounted on a track that runs inside the window frame. When the shade is down, very little air will pass through the window.
What is reflective window film?
Highly reflective window film blocks sunlight in summer and winter, so it’s best used in climates that have a very long cooling season , such as in the southern US. Choose a silver, mirror-like film over a colored and transparent one to maximize reflectivity. East- and west-facing windows will benefit the most from an application of these films. One disadvantage is that the films may reduce interior light or restrict your view to the outside.
Is triple glazing better than single pane windows?
Triple glazing reduces the heat loss another 30 percent but usually is not cost-effect ive.
Do shutters fit over windows?
These shutters either fit over the entire window snugly so that no air can escape, or they fit inside the window frames exactly so that when they’re closed, they seal the windows completely. They’re made from a wooden frame covered with insulation and decorative fabric for an aesthetically pleasing look.
Do window coverings warm up when it's sunny?
No matter what type of window coverings you choose, opening them up during sunny days can have a warming effect even when the temperature outside says otherwise! Keep them closed to keep the heat in unless there is direct sunlight shining on that part of the home.
Do drapes reduce heat loss?
When drawn during cold weather, most typical floor-length draperies can reduce heat loss from a warm room by up to 10 percent, according to the DOE. Closing drapes at night helps in that heat containment.
Do honeycomb blinds help with energy costs?
If you are thinking of using blinds to help with energy costs, make sure to selected honeycomb or cellular structure blinds. Their design creates insulating pockets of air when the blinds are open. Honeycomb styles come in double and triple versions with a reflective backing for maximum heat loss prevention.
Awnings
Window awnings can reduce solar heat gain by up to 65 percent on south-facing windows and 77 percent on west-facing windows, according to the DOE. For best results, choose awnings in light colors that reflect more sunlight. In the winter, you can roll up retractable awnings to let the sun warm your house.
Curtains and Drapes
On summer days, keep your curtains closed. "Particularly on the side of the house or apartment where the sun is coming in," says Allan Drury, a spokesman for Con Edison, the New York energy company.
Shades
When properly installed, window shades are one of the simplest and most effective ways to save energy, but they need to be drawn all day to work. Mount them as close to the glass as possible within the window frame, creating a sealed space.
Blinds
Because of the horizontal slats, it's difficult to control heat loss through interior window blinds, although they do offer some flexibility. Unlike shades, you can adjust the slats to control light and ventilation. When completely closed, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by around 45 percent, says the DOE.
Reflective Film
Window film is best for homes in regions with long cooling seasons. Silver mirrorlike film is typically more effective than colored, more transparent film, and east- and west-facing windows benefit most because of their greater potential for heat gain. Keep in mind that reflective film is tricky to clean and, obviously, may affect your view.
If You Really Need AC
You should also take the heat of the sun into consideration when installing a window air conditioner. If you place the unit in a window that gets direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day, it will have to work harder to keep you cool. And that'll cost you.
