When the temperature drops we all want to stay warm and manage those heating bills. Significant heat can be lost through windows so here are some ideas to make them more energy efficient. Heat loss is measured in U value – the lower the better while walls have a u-value at of 0.3, a single glazed window can be over five. Why are windows so chilly? it’s all about air convection when it’s cold outside the flow of warm air hits the pane of glass and is cooled down and of course the reverse is true in summer.
You can add instant insulation with curtains blinds or shutters especially at night but there’s plenty more you can do. All curtains are lined and that helps but for particularly chilly rooms a thermal lining made from thick sateen twill will keep you even cozier. Simply adding a standard blind improved the U-value of a double glazed window by nearly 30%. Of course layering curtains with blinds give you a windows that extra coverage and looks pretty good too.
There are lots of products which have been designed to make a difference – an interlined Roman blind has an additional padded layer to keep the draughts out as well as look luxurious. Go one step further with Thermal blinds which trap air in honeycomb pockets creating an insulated barrier between your warm room and the cold window. Thermal blinds can reduce heat loss by up to 51% on single glazed windows. Some pleated blinds have special reflective coatings to keep the heat in when it’s chilly and the sun out in summer. And there are shutters which not only look stylish but reduce heat loss in single glazed windows by up to 62% and over 30% on double glazed. It’s so easy to make a few simple adjustments to your windows to keep you and your family warm this winter Energy saving ideas.
