The answer is 'yes', certain types of blinds will trap a layer of air between the fabric and the glass, helping to keep out the cold coming in from your windows. Professionally fitted blinds can be an energy efficient way to keep the heat in and the cold out.
Curtains help with heat retention by limiting the flow of air between the warm and cold areas of a room. Even double-glazed windows will afford heat with a chance to escape, but a set of heavy curtains will form a barrier that'll limit the flow of air from the main room to the window.
Window blinds—vertical (Venetian blinds) or horizontal slat-type (louvered-type)—are effective at reducing summer heat gain and reducing glare, while providing good daylight indoors.
Sunshine streams in through the window, and the gap in between the window and blinds captures the heat, producing a greenhouse effect. In the winter, this is a desirable effect, and in the summer, when you want it to be cooler in your home, all you have to do is raise the blinds to leave the window uncovered.
The clever use of blinds, curtains, and other window treatments can help keep your house cool and your bills in check. The Department of Energy says the smart management of window coverings can reduce heat gain by up to 77 percent. (And, as a bonus, these same practices can reduce heat loss in the winter.)
Sealing up any cracks and crevices around the edges of windows and doors can be very effective in reducing cool air loss. Install newer insulation: Like sealing air leaks works for preventing both warm and cool air escaping, so does newer insulation in the home.
Insulated Cellular Shades
For leaky windows, insulated cellular shades, sometimes called honeycomb shades, are one of the two most effective window treatments for keeping out the cold air and keeping in the heat.
Ideally, you should use both types of curtains and change them from the cold to the warm season. Blackout curtains will keep your house cooler during the sizzling hot summer days, while thermal curtains will keep warmth from escaping out of the windows.
According to University of Salford researchers, drawing the curtains at dusk will minimize heat loss by 15-17 per cent. The number for blinds is a little lower, at 13-14 per cent, but the gap is significant enough to justify closing them.
For example, lightweight materials, such as linen, lace and sheer cotton, are loosely woven and allow chilly air to penetrate your rooms. Choose thick curtains in heavyweight, tightly woven textiles -- velvet, tapestry, tweed, denim, suede -- to provide a dense barrier against chilly outdoor air.
Your curtains aren't just useful for controlling the temperature in the summer. Like all types of insulation, they will help keep rooms cool in summer and warm in winter.
The best way to prevent this heat loss is to close your curtains and lower your blinds immediately after dusk. They provide an extra barrier to radiant heat loss, add insulation and reduce draughts.
For heavy-duty heat blocking, you'll want thermal drapes that are made with thick materials like polyester and microfiber. These also resist moisture and will minimize it from accumulating in between the window and curtain.
Blackout curtains can trap heat in during the winter and keep light and heat out during the summer. 10-25% of thermal energy loss goes out the windows. Blackout curtains can curtail this loss by a 25%, reducing your utility bills and greenhouse gases.
Select blinds that will suit your needs
If you want to use blinds to stay warm this winter, the choice is endless. However, blinds will only retain heat when they are not slatted, so roller and roman blinds should be at the top of your shopping list.
The best types of blinds that help keep cold out are the ones made from fabric. The ones with slats such as venetian blinds are better for the summer as they allow heat to escape in between the slats. Honeycomb blinds are a type of fabric roller blind that are great insulators as well as sun blockers.
Good curtains stop cold air from entering your home by creating an air gap between the room and the window. Ideally, they also prevent any flow of hot and cold air which would create a draft.
Yes. Emergency management agencies specifically recommend using “aluminum foil-covered cardboard” between windows and drapes to reflect heat back outside.
Blackout curtains and shades will reduce the amount of heat which is transferred via your windows by as much as 24 percent, keeping the rooms where they're installed cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
The reasons your house is cold even with the heat on could be because of poor insulation, your furnace not working properly, rooms with high ceilings, or your heating system doesn't cover the whole house. Each of these issues can prevent your home from properly heating.
Drafts are caused when a house's warm air leaks out and gets replaced or even pushed out by that sneaky, cold outside air. Not only does can this make you uncomfortable in your own home, it also makes your heating less efficient.