You’d think deciding on blinds for your home would be as easy as whipping out the tape measure and picking a color, but it turns out there are many other factors you need to consider before making the final call. One of the most important things to consider when upgrading your blinds is energy efficiency. According to the Department of Energy, during colder seasons, when you’re trying to keep your home warm, about 30% of a home's heating energy is lost through windows, and in warmer seasons, when you’re trying to keep your home colder, about 76% of the sunlight that hits a standard double-pane window becomes heat.
What this means is that your heating/cooling system has to work harder to keep up, costing you more money each month. Now, these are two separate problems: first, you have heat escaping the house, which is due to inefficient insulation. Second, you have intense heat from the sunlight beating down on your windows, causing the cool air inside to warm up. This is where “R-value” comes in. If you’ve been doing your research, you’ve probably read or heard the term before—but what does R-value really mean? R-value is the measurement of how well a certain material can insulate or resist heat. The higher the R-value, the better it is at insulation.
Shades
Speaking of high R-value… at the very top of the R-value ladder sits the cellular shade. Cellular shades are also known as honeycomb shades because they have honeycomb-shaped insulating cells that trap heat between the window and house. These shades come in single, double, and even triple cell fabrics, which will affect both the R-value and the price. The more cells, the higher the R-value and the price. Insulating cellular shades can range from an R-value of 2 to 5. According to the Department of Energy, cellular shades can reduce heat loss through windows by 40% or more, which results in a 20% heating energy saving. Cellular shades can also reduce unwanted solar heat through windows by up to 80%. These shades can be cordless, motorized, top down/bottom up, and they can feature black out or light filtering material.
Blinds
If you live in an area that is very warm most of the year and your main concern is heat coming into your house, then blinds may be a great option for you. Both vertical and horizontal blinds are great at reducing heat gain, but are not as efficient when it comes to keeping heat inside during winter time. This is because blinds have so many openings between slats. Blinds do have other benefits, though, which might make them ideal for you. Apart from the options of having them completely up or completely down, you can also control the angles at which the slats are open to control the amount of natural light—and warmth—that comes into your home. With some blinds, you can even angle the slats to redirect sunlight towards the ceiling in order to bring in more natural light into your home, while still diminishing heat gain. You can get blinds made out of wood, faux wood, vinyl, or fabric, and they can be cordless and motorized.
Shutters
Shutters come in many different materials including wood, aluminum, steel, and fabric, among others. The R-value of shutters varies depending on the material they are made of. It also changes based on whether or not the shutter has gaps—the bigger the gap, the lower the R-value. Shutters, like blinds, are better at preventing heat from coming into the house than keeping heat inside during colder seasons. Another benefit of shutters is that, depending on what type of shutter you install, they could add value to your home. One of the most popular types of shutters, considering energy efficiency, are plantation shutters. Plantation shutters are known for having the tightest fit against windows as well as having the thickest material (resulting in better insulation).
Draperies and Curtains
Curtains fit the window and drapes go all the way down to the floor, but they function similarly. Both of them can be made of many variations of materials and colors, which result in varying levels of R-value. For the highest R-value, go for a thick, heavy drape. Also, make sure the drape has thermal lining on the back.
Awnings
Awnings are installed outside of your home and they’re designed to block the sun from hitting your windows directly. Some awnings can be set up to block the sun during summer time, but allow the sun to shine through during winter (because the sun is at a lower level during this season). According to the Department of Energy, awnings can reduce solar heat gain in the summer by up to 65% on south-facing windows and 77% on west-facing windows. Something to keep in mind is that if you have a fixed awning and don’t take it down during winter, it could work against your energy efficiency because it will block the sun and make heating your house harder and costlier. A great solution to this is to install adjustable awnings or even motorized awnings if possible.
Window Films
We’ve mostly been talking about covering up your windows in order to save energy, but what about the actual window? Window films are a simple, affordable way to add energy efficiency to your home. They’re easy to install and come in a variety of levels of UV protection. You could start by adding window films and then throw on some blinds right after and you’ll have a great R-value in no time. Speaking of combinations…
Mix and Match
So, you’ve bought a nice new cellular shade or a beautiful horizontal blind, but it’s still not doing the trick. Now what? Well, now it's time to mix and match. If an inside-mounted cellular shade provides a 5.0 R-value and you install a nice set of drapes that provide an extra 2-3 R-value, your home will definitely be on its way to being highly energy efficient. In case shutters are more your thing, according to a Cornell Study, combining a do-it-yourself shutter, insulating core, sheathing material vapor retarder and decorative covering could result in an R-value as high as R-10, or about 90% effectiveness. A typical R-value is 4.0 which provides 75% effectiveness.
By now you’ve probably realized that there are many ways to improve your energy efficiency by using blinds. The important thing is to take the time to analyze which option—or options, if you’re mix and matching—works best for you and your home.