One of the most important steps to take to keep your home cooler on warm days is to keep the heat out. Since windows are among the top sources of heat gain, adding heat-reducing window treatments puts you ahead in the game. Here are types of window dressings and architectural additions that will help you stay cooler during warm seasons and reduce your cooling bills.
Shades
There are numerous types of shades to choose from, but for the purpose of reducing home energy costs, look for shades that are designed to keep heat out. These include thermal-backed shades, which are lined with special material, and cellular shades, which have a honeycomb design that effectively traps heat.
Sunshades are an exterior version. They are often used for decks and patios but can also be installed over windows.
Blinds
If you are building a new home, consider adding special features like exterior blinds, which are costly and difficult to add to existing homes. One such feature is exterior blinds. These are more effective than interior blinds at blocking heat because they act as a barrier to prevent windowpanes from heating up.
Drapes
Thin drapes won’t do much to prevent heat gain. Instead, look for those with an insulated backing. Used alone, drapes offer a little reduction in high energy costs, but pair them with shades or blinds to receive the most benefit.
Awnings
Awnings are an excellent choice for exterior shading on the south and west sides of the home. They bring relief from the hot afternoon sun. Quality, opaque awnings can reduce heat gain through windows by over 50 percent, making these well worth the initial investment.
Shutters
Exterior shutters can be one of the best solutions to avoiding solar heat gain. The best for this purpose are installed correctly, tight fitting, and made from sold wood panels. The downside to solid-panel shutters is they block all light when closed. One solution is to choose slatted, louvered shutters.
For more about window treatments and your Dayton-area home, please contact us at Ace Hardware Home Services.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Dayton, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).
Credit/Copyright Attribution: “Unsplash/Pixabay”
