By Cal Stewart, Brax Blinds Sales Manager
Keeping your home warm in winter starts with covering your windows.
So much heat can be lost through uncovered glass – you only need to stand beside or touch the glass to feel how cold it can be.
Research shows that up to 30 per cent of heat loss in your home occurs through uncovered windows.
We have roller blinds on the south of our home that are only ever used in the colder months for exactly this reason. They are hidden away under pelmets, so we don’t even notice they are there until we need to use them.
These windows are double glazed, but it’s incredible the difference the extra layer of insulation can make.
There are plenty of options for dressing your windows, but some will provide better insulation benefits than others. The important thing to remember is that hot air is drawn down and out through the glass, so having close fitting blinds and a blind with a solid top or covering your blinds with a pelmet will prevent this convection effect from happening.
By far the most superior blind available for insulation is the Duette Architella Shades range by Luxaflex. These unique cellular honeycomb blinds feature a contemporary look whilst providing efficient insulation. These blinds feature a cell within a cell structure with three distinct air pockets that are designed to trap air and deflect heat, which helps to reduce your heating costs.
Duette shades are available in a range of different operating options. These include motorisation using PowerView, which effectively integrates your blinds into a home automation system or is able to be operated from a remote control or app control via a smartphone or tablet.
There’s also the ability to set and program them to open and close at certain times of the day. This means you can set the blinds to close and keep your home warm for those nights that you’ll be later getting home.
Fully lined drapes or curtains are often considered an old-fashioned option; however, when paired with a pelmet they are a highly effective insulator against heat loss.
Drapes are something people either like or don’t like. They have become quite popular again recently and personally, I’m a big fan as they not only insulate well but also provide great light blockout, making them perfect for bedrooms.
Fabric choices for curtains are almost endless, with prints and plains, through to linens, silks and textured options available. Velvet is another fabric that has seen a resurge in popularity and lends itself well to being used for drapes. Velvet gives a richness and warmth that comes from both the choice of fabric and the insulation benefits the drapes provide.
When it comes to choosing pelmets, simple is often best. A plain timber pelmet will provide the desired extra insulation and can be painted to match the wall allowing it to blend seamlessly into your existing decor.
Having something on your windows is better than nothing – as long as you remember to use them! I have friends who are always complaining about their winter heating bills, but never close their blinds as they live on acreage and don’t need privacy. I’m sure they would be amazed at the cost savings if only they took the time to close them each night!
