When it comes to keeping your home warm and cutting down on heating and cooling bills, you might look into energy-efficient curtains. These types of curtains are also referred to as blackout curtains. They come in many different styles and colors to match your home and designs that also reduce the noises you hear coming from the streets.
As the average home loses up to 30% of its heat in the long winter months and struggles to keep the cool air inside during summer, you may want to look at blackout curtains and how they work.
The Basics of Energy-Efficient Curtains
Before you look for a curtain installation company in your area, find out what blackout curtains are. The term refers to curtains designed to block out natural sunlight and keep all of the heat or cool air inside.
Many companies make blackout curtains that consist of two different panels. One side has the decorative design you want and faces inside to let you see the design through the window. The other side uses a thick and dark material that traps the heat or cold air inside and blocks the sun.
Some draper installers also use decorative designs on both sides with a dark panel in the middle.
Can Curtains Regulate Temperatures?
Many people assume that energy-efficient curtains do not work because they have used ordinary curtains before. However, blackout curtains are different. Though the curtain installation cost is the same, these do several things.
In the cooler months, you can rest assured that your drapes will lock the warm air inside your home. They may even cut down on the cold drafts that you feel. During the warmer months, the same curtains will keep the cool air from your AC from escaping outside.
Choosing the Right Curtains
There are more things that go into choosing new curtains than just what color or design to pick. If you have a specific design idea in mind, feel free to pick drapes that work with the room. While you'll find plenty of solid colors, the curtains also come in fun patterns such as floral and plaid patterns.
- You also need to measure your windows and buy curtains that fit the space. Bay windows and other unique designs may need as many as two or even four panels to completely cover the glass. You'll find some companies that make double curtains designed to fit a larger window. With professional curtain fittings, you can easily get help buying the right size.
- Another thing to consider is the backing material. Curtains with a light back will deflect natural light. When you hang them in your window, the backing will cause the light to bounce off the glass, which can keep your home from becoming too hot. Curtains with dark backing absorb the light. These curtains are great to use in the winter because they pull in the light and release heat into your home.
- Don't forget to check the thickness of the blackout material. If you want to lock in the heat in the winter and block out the heat in the summer, go with a medium to thick material. Curtains with a thinner material do a poor job of keeping your home at the right temperature.
- To save money on your heating bills, spend a little more on blackout curtains with a thicker backing.
How to Use Your New Curtains
Once you install window curtains, make sure that you know how to use them. It's not simply a matter of hanging them on your old rod and walking away.
- To get the most out of your curtains, minimize the space between the window and your fabric. The more space that exists between the two, the more heat you will lose. This might require removing your old rod and hanging a new one that puts the fabric right against the glass.
- When you want to get more heat into your home, open the curtains. As the light comes through the glass, it will slowly increase the room's temperature. If you want to keep the temperature stable, keep the curtains closed.
It's also helpful to invest in more than one set of curtains, especially if you want to make the curtains match the design of your home. You can use thin or gauzy curtains in the center and cover them with the blackout curtains as needed. For an even more decorative design, consider mixing solid panels with patterned curtains.
Hanging your new curtains is easy because you can choose designs with a built-in space along the top that you slide the rod through or tabs that wrap around the rod.
Energy-efficient curtains not only work but come in some great designs for your home that drapery installers can show you before offering a free quote.
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