Lower Heating Costs with Insulated and Thermal Window Shades

With winter just around the corner, most of us are dreading the high cost of home heating ahead.

And if your older home or apartment has drafty windows, living comfort is also a concern, especially for those us who live far north (or south) of the equator, such as the UK or the northern states of the US.

But regardless whether you live in Alaska or Arizona, Belfast, Ireland or the Costa del Sol, Spain, outdoor temperatures can range from freezing to over 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit).

Without adequate insulation your home can feel uncomfortable during periods of extreme cold (or heat) and windows are one component of any home which tends to conduct cold (or heat).

Installing thermal and/or insulating window treatments can help keep cold air from entering your home in the winter and block the sun from overheating living spaces in the summer, helping lower energy costs all year long.

Benefits of Thermal and Insulating Window Coverings

Now I know the thought of buying new window shades may seem counterintuitive to ‘saving money’ since you are investing, not saving. But if you amortise the cost of thermal/insulating window coverings over a long period, the costs you save on heating and cooling can easily outweigh the initial investment.

And if you don’t have window coverings or need to replace yours, then the incremental cost of these energy efficient treatments over less costly blinds or shades will easily save you money in the long term. Consider the following benefits:

1. Energy Savings – Inefficient windows may increase heating costs by 10 to 25 percent in the winter and air conditioning costs by as much as 75 percent in the summer! A cellular/honeycomb shade blocks as much as 60 percent of the heat transfer through a window pane; those extra costs really add up over the years!
2. Living Comfort – A typical window blind is R-1 value, while insulated/thermal window coverings can increase the R-value of a single-pane window to as high as R-6, making your home far more comfortable when the weather is either extremely cold or hot outside.
3. Home Value – Making improvements to your home will increase its value, especially if the improvements enhance your home’s energy efficiency.
4. Conservation – Every kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity we use releases about two pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, so saving energy not only reduces consumption of valuable carbon fuel sources but also helps reduce the greenhouse effect believed to be the primary cause of global warming.
5. UV Protection – Window coverings also protect your home’s interior, flooring, furniture, artwork, etc. from the harmful effects of UV rays.

What are the Differences between Thermal and Insulating Window Coverings?

Throughout this article we’ll refer to both thermal and insulating types of window treatments. While these two features may be combined the difference is in how your window covering actually works to increase energy efficiency.

A thermal window shade or drape reflects radiant heat, blocking warm air from escaping from your home by directing it back into the room. This effect is reversed in the summer, when a thermal window covering reflects the heat and UV rays of the sun from entering your home, keeping things cooler inside.

Insulating window shades on the other hand actually trap a layer of air between multiple surfaces of the window treatment. The trapped air acts as a barrier that prevents cold air from entering your home by way of conduction through the window glass.

Cellular (Honeycomb) Shades

The most efficient type of window covering is the cellular or honeycomb shade. The insulating quality of these window shades increases, depending on whether you install single, double or triple cell shades; the more cells, the more air is trapped, stopping the cold or warm air draft from the window and improving the insulating value of the shade. Accordingly, the cost of a cellular shade increases with the number of cells.

Attractive and functional, cellular shades come in a wide variety of colours and styles, offering varying light control, from semi-opaque to completely opaque ‘blackout’ materials, to meet your style preference and functional requirements.
By trapping the cold air, a honeycomb shade minimizes the amount of heat being drawn toward, and thus out, a glass window pane. The cellular/honeycomb shades have R-values ranging from 2.0 to 4.8, with a shading co-efficient ranging from 0.44 to 0.21.

Thermal and Insulated Roman Shades

If you prefer a softer look in window coverings but still want energy efficiency, Roman shades are available with thermal/insulated treatments. Today’s thermal Roman shades make a great compromise between style and function.
Made with an insulating liner, Roman shades give your room a more luxurious feeling than window shades without sacrificing on energy efficiency and living comfort. Flannel interlining or a rubber backed lining are typical. The lining doesn’t show and you can select from a wide range of fabrics.

Thermal backed Roman shades are available in fabrics such as heavy linen, cotton, chenille, silk and many others, giving you a nearly endless choice of colour combinations and prints from which to choose. Be sure your Roman shades are custom-fit to your windows snugly; a tight seal along each edge the shade keeps air from coming in contact with the window surface, preventing it from cooling air inside the room.

Construction and quality varies widely. On the ‘warm’ side of a quality shade, a vapor barrier made from vinyl, Mylar or plastic keeps warm air from passing through the shade to prevent condensation from forming on the inside of the window pane. This helps keep the room warm and dry, preventing any problems such as mildew from occurring.

Roman shades thermally lined using these manufacturing methods can increase efficiency to R-values ranging from 3.0 to 5.0; R-value will depend on the weight of the fabric your choose, the material used for the lining, how the shade is pleated and fitted. In some cases magnetic strips are applied to get the best seal possible.

Insulated / Thermal Drapes and Curtains

If traditional draperies or curtains are best suited to the style and décor of your room, you can also get these lined to increase energy efficiency. A two-layer drapery or curtain can greatly increase efficiency. This has the added benefit of giving you complete flexibility in choosing the colour and pattern of the inner layer that faces the inside of your room, which the heavier, insulating liner facing the window and will be hardly noticeable.

The disadvantage of insulated drapes or curtains is that a skilled work room is needed in order to construct this type of layered window treatment. Another option is to use a cellular shade under the curtains or draperies to provide the insulating layer; this can substantially reduce the cost while still resulting in a layered, semi-custom window covering.

Draperies can be thermally lined to produce R-values ranging from 3.0 to 5.0; as with thermal Roman shades, the R-values depend on the fabric, lining, fitting, etc.

Plantation Shutters and Wooden Blinds

While less energy-efficient than the other options we’ve covered, if you prefer the look of wooden venetian blinds or interior shutters, you do get decent insulating value when the blinds or shutter are closed. Wood is a good insulating material and composite or vinyl blinds and shutters can increase energy efficiency further. Hardwood shutters or wooden Venetian blinds have R-values in the range of 2.77 to 3.17, with shading co-efficient somewhere from 0.35 to 0.21.

Energy-Saving Home Window Tips

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that other factors play a large part in how energy efficient your windows will be. Here are some tips to make your windows more efficient:

• Check the caulking around your windows; a well-sealed window is critical to preventing cold air drafts and moisture from entering your home, regardless what type of window coverings you install.
• Older homes with single pane windows are always good candidates for window replacements; window technologies including double-glazed windows with low-E coatings, argon or krypton gas filled multi-pane windows and other technologies will greatly improve the comfort and efficiency of your home, especially if you live in a climate where below-freezing temperatures are common during the cold seasons.
• Window blinds and shades should be installed as flush to your window panes (inside mount preferred) as possible without preventing them from correct operation.
• If cost is an important factor, your best choice will probably be cellular shades; if you like the style then this is generally the most cost-effective solution.

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