Closing your window blinds on hot summer days blocks the sunlight to keep your home cooler and reduce your energy use. Closing them on cold winter nights cuts down on heat loss, so your home stays warmer with less strain on your furnace.
Prevent heat loss in the winter
During the day: Open your window coverings during the day to let the sunlight warm your home naturally. In the evenings: Prevent heat loss in the evenings by closing the blinds and keeping the cool air out.
Or should I close them to trap in heat/block drafts? Open during the day, close at night. At least the ones that receive a good amount of light. For windows that don't receive direct sunlight, don't bother.
Keeping the curtains open. People tend to keep curtains open during a day and close curtains when they leave a house. However, your house should never look unoccupied even if the property is empty. That's the reason why you have to leave your curtains open when you go away in the morning.
Opening your window curtains more often is probably a good idea as a new study by researchers at the University of Oregon found that dark rooms held 12 percent living and actively reproductive bacteria, almost twice as much as the 6.8 percent present in rooms that were exposed to daylight, and the 6.1 percent in rooms ...
If passersby can see into your house and either valuables are on display, or the room visible is a functional, private, family space, by all means you should keep your curtains closed.
In short, the answer is yes. Blinds, draperies, and window treatments are an effective method for cutting heating and cooling bills, regulating the temperature of your home, and enhancing its overall appearance.
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.
Curtains or drapes can help insulate your rooms as they reduce the amount of air exchange between a cold window and the rest of the room.
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.
Curtains offer better insulation and soundproofing.
In warm weather, however, blinds beat curtains in energy efficiency. Because blinds leak more heat from a room, they also decrease indoor heat gain more efficiently in the summer, by around 45 percent, which can lower your AC bills.
Close your blinds and curtains.
Keeping your blinds closed during the day will reflect a surprising amount of heat radiating in through windows, especially during the time of day when the sun's rays shine directly on your home.
Thermal curtains feature a layer of acrylic foam between the double or triple layers of fabric to provide insulation, making these curtains ideal for winter months or drafty windows. Thermal curtains can also dampen sound, block out sunlight, and reduce energy bills.
The privacy works both ways: they serve to keep people from looking in, but just as importantly to keep distractions out, and for not having to look at others in the street. And curtains are also great for not having to look at your own reflection at night.
However, the more sunlight you allow in your home, the smaller the risk you face of suffering from SADs. In fact, sunlight naturally triggers your body to release serotonin, a hormone that can improve your mood naturally. So, if you want to be happier, pull back those window coverings and let in the sun!
What Temperature is Too Cold for a House? While everyone has a different tolerance to cold, ideal winter heat settings should generally be at or above 63 °F (17 °C). Excessive cold (anything below 62 °F or 16 °C) in your home can actually raise your blood pressure as your blood “thickens” in the chilly temperatures.
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.
Why carpet is a good insulator
Research by Wools of New Zealand found that carpet provides around 10 times more insulation than hard floor coverings. Excellent insulation means less heating (or cooling) is needed to maintain a comfortable temperature in the room.
Regardless of how long you will be traveling and away from home, keep your thermostat set at 68 degrees Fahrenheit or above. This will help to keep the pipes on the inside of the home from freezing and the ones under the home at a slightly higher temperature as well.