During this research, one company found that drawing your blinds in the evening can reduce heat loss by as much as 14%. And, if you decided to pair your blinds with curtains, you could further reduce this by an additional 17%. So yes, closing blinds really does help you to save energy!
Is it better to keep blinds open or closed on a hot day, and does keeping blinds closed keep heat out? Yes to the latter, and you will definitely want to keep your blinds closed on hot days to keep the temperature down.
In the winter, if you have south-facing windows, let the light shine in. The sun will help heat your home naturally, which takes some pressure off your furnace. For other windows, keep blinds and curtains close during the winter to keep heat inside your home.
Close your blinds and curtains as soon as it gets dark and cold in the evening as they will help to keep warmth in your home. Make sure you close them completely and there are no gaps. If you keep the cold out and the warmth in this also helps with the build-up of condensation.
Key Takeaway. Blinds can be a huge energy-saving option for you if you experience a lot of heat loss through your windows.
Keep blinds open during the day. Not only will this practice save you some money on energy bills during the winter, but it can also keep you and your family healthier. Read on to find out how sunlight can kill harmful bacteria present in the dust in your rooms.
Better winter option: turning the blinds down will help direct heat towards the center of the room, utilizing your resources in the winter. More light: because the blinds are facing down, light can stream in from the sun easier, which will flow towards the center of your living space.
What percentage of heat is lost through windows? For most houses, windows typically account for 10% of total heat lost. Around two thirds of this is due to the radiation through the glazing. Air leakage tends to be the next biggest contributor especially from windows with poor insulation.
Cracks in Walls, Windows and Doors
Around 38% of heat loss in your home comes from cracks in your walls, windows and doors (often invisible to the naked eye). In fact, a ⅛ inch gap under a 36-inch wide door will let as much cold air into your home as a 2.4 inch hole through your wall.
This can be achieved by the addition of thick curtains and a pelmet. A poorly fitted curtain allows heat loss to occur, while a well fitted curtain combined with a pelmet significantly reduces heat loss, so remember to: use closely woven, close fitting internal window coverings such as curtains or blinds.
If it's winter and likely to be sunny, open the window coverings in the morning to allow the sun to heat your home through the day—especially those that receive direct sunlight. In the summer, you may want to keep window coverings closed to reduce heat gain.
Blinds can reduce heat gain by 45% for a significant increase in energy performance. Energy efficiency isn't the only consideration, though —curtains can offer better soundproofing than blinds, as well as add an elegant, luxurious feel to your home's décor.
Why do people close the blinds at night? To stop people outside being able to see in. In other words, for privacy. It also stops people who have an intent to steal from being able to take inventory of your possessions.
Best Ways to Keep the Heat Out from The Windows
Closing the blinds throughout the day is the most effective way of keeping the heat out of the windows. This is because when closed, they lower the unnecessary solar heat gain by offering insulation to your windows.
'Recent independent research proves that internal and especially external shading is effective at reducing indoor temperatures in the summer. ' 'In the summer, closing blinds or shutters during the day helps prevent solar gains and opening them again in the evening can help keep your home cooler.
Around 10 per cent of the heat in our homes is lost through the window with that figure rising if you have single panes. It may not sound like that much but when you add up losses through doors, floors, walls and the roof every bit counts.
So no matter how long you'll be away, the setting that's best for home maintenance is 85 degrees in the summer and 50 degrees in the winter. You might be tempted by a few dollars more in energy savings, but it's simply not worth the risk of doing expensive damage throughout your entire home.
In most houses, radiation accounts for less than 10 percent of heat loss and most of that loss will be associated with windows. Conduction and convection are the main causes of heat loss; convection is the main culprit when the house is leaky.
What is The Average Heat Loss in a House? Generally, a well-insulated and sealed home may experience heat loss ranging from 1% to 5% per hour. For example, if the indoor temperature is 20°C (68°F) and the outside temperature is 0°C (32°F), the heat loss would be approximately 0.6°C (1.08°F) per hour.
The ideal thermostat temperature in the winter is 68 degrees Fahrenheit when you're at home. Energy.gov suggests that 68 degrees is a good room temperature while you're awake at home but recommends lowering it while you're asleep or away.
Usually lose 2.5-3 degrees, any more and it will be well under freezing outside.