Closing window blinds can also save energy in the winter. During cold winter nights, heat is lost through windows. Closing the blinds adds some insulation to the windows, reducing heat loss during cold periods. Some blinds also reflect heat back into the room.
Thankfully there's no right or wrong way to turn your blinds. But one way may be more suitable than the other, depending on your needs. The choice really boils down to your lighting and privacy requirements at different times of the day and, of course, personal preference.
Reasons to turn your window blinds up:
Closed in the inside up direction, blinds may not have as soft an appearance, but there is greater control of daylight entering the room. Sunlight and some radiant energy will be deflected upward and away from the room.
If the window is on the ground floor, the blind should be closed slats up. Otherwise, people can see in from the floors above. If, however, you are on an upper floor and the slats are up, anyone can see in from the ground floor. For that reason blinds on an upper floor should close slats down.
To minimize light leakage and ensure privacy the blind should overlap the window opening by 4" on each side for a total of 8" on entire width. 2) Measure distance from where the top of the blind will be located to the window sill. The blind should overlap the window opening on the top and the bottom by at least 3".
Blinds can help control home temperature. So, if you want to keep the house cool in summer: you close them during the day. If you want to keep the house warmer in winter: you open them during the day. If you are going away for an extended period (vacation): closed.
The use of blinds and curtains can help keep your house cool by absorbing the sunlight and they offer insulation and warmth when they are completely closed.
The honest answer is all window blinds will help keep the cold out, if you use them properly. It is very simple, close your blinds in the early evening and leave them closed until the morning. This will keep as much heat inside your home as possible.
Blinds made from high quality thermal fabrics are the ideal option for keeping the heat in your home, blackout blinds by their nature tend to be a thicker fabric so if you don't want to go down the route of specific thermal blinds, blackout might be your next best choice.
The closer a blind or shade is to the window, the better it will perform as an insulator, so an inside mount blind or shade will provide the most protection from cold drafts.
When blinds are measured and fitted properly they insulate your home by trapping a layer of air between the blinds fabric and the window. This effectively seals of your windows so that air can't escape from the windows. For the best effect you should pull up blinds during the day to allow sunlight in to warm the home.
To help keep all rooms in your house cool, you can: close pale-coloured curtains – closing dark curtains and metal blinds can make rooms hotter. keep windows closed when it's hotter outside than inside, but open them if the room gets too hot.
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.
While you may be focused on removing the dust in your home, according to an article published in Science Daily, letting the sunshine into your home through the windows can actually kill bacteria that live in the remaining dust and this can help decrease the risk of respiratory issues.
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.
For maximum privacy, mount the blinds above the window frame and extend them past the sides and bottom of the frame. Light bleed around the blinds is decreased with the extra width and length. If necessary, shim the blind bracket out so the blind falls freely.
Blinds.com recommends at least 1.5" of overlap on each side of the window for blinds and shades, and 2" of overlap on each side for solar or roller shades and vertical blinds. The extra width provides more privacy and light blockage. As always, record your measurements down to the nearest 1/8 inch.
The best way to winterize your windows is to add a sealed layer of plastic or glass over the window. And the cheapest, easiest way to do this is by installing an interior window insulation kit. Keep out those winter winds by sealing up your drafty windows.
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.)