When you’re selecting a window covering in Menlo Park, CA for energy efficiency, there are many different types that you can choose from. Even if you have older windows in your home that are less energy efficient than new windows, selecting the right window coverings will boost your home’s overall energy efficiency.
Not only will energy efficient window coverings keep your home cooler in the heat of summer, but they will also lower the amount of money you have to spend on keeping your home comfortable, which will translate in savings for you.
Up to 40% of your home’s cooling and heating energy can escape through its windows each year. So, instead of adjusting your thermostat to keep the interior of your home comfortable during the summer months, consider energy efficient window coverings that will keep the cool air inside and the hot air outside.
One of the most energy efficient window coverings you can use in your home is cellular (honeycomb) window shades. This versatile window covering is made with hexagon-shaped cells that have a three-fold function.
One function is to provide light control, and cellular shades have several different opacity selections that include sheer, light-filtering, room-darkening, and blackout (an excellent choice for bedrooms).
A second function is to provide privacy. With room-darkening and blackout opacity options, cellular window shades can ensure that you, your family, and the contents of your home are completely obscured from the outside, which makes your home safer as well.
And the third function is to provide insulation. The design of cellular window shades enables them to trap air from the outside and keep it from coming inside your home. Therefore, even if you have older windows that are not as energy efficient as newer windows, you can make them energy efficient with cellular window shades.
When you add options like automation or integration with smart technology, cellular shades can be raised and lowered during the day to maximize the amount of energy efficiency they provide.
Another type of window covering that is great for energy is Roman window shades. Not only do Roman window shades have a beautiful and classic look, but they are also very effective as a barrier to heat gain and heat loss when they are backed with room-darkening linings.
Like cellular window shades, Roman window shades can be motorized or cordless, giving you maximum control over the energy efficiency they can provide for your home throughout the day.
Another window covering that is very effective at providing energy efficiency are solar window shades. Solar window shades are made from woven fabrics that are tight enough to block out some sunlight but are loose enough to be able to see through.
The design of solar window shades works well in helping to keep cool air inside your home during hot weather, making them good for energy efficiency. This design works by keeping sunlight from penetrating the window and coming inside your home.
Sunlight is, instead, reflected and then absorbed by the solar window shades, reducing solar heat gain. This will help keep your energy costs lower.
You have different options for opacity with solar window shades, and the higher the opacity, the more energy efficient the solar window shades will be.
All solar window shades, regardless of opacity, will also offer the added benefit of preventing ultraviolet waves from entering your home, which will protect your home’s contents from damage.
If you’d like to learn more about window coverings in Menlo Park, CA, you can speak with our experienced staff at Windows & Beyond, Inc.