While summer means more time with the family, it also often means sky-high utility bills. With kids home from school, and many people still working remotely, you may find you are running your air conditioner a lot to keep you and your family comfortable. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to insulate your home and reduce your energy consumption this summer.
One easy way to save energy would be to install blackout blinds on all of the windows in your home. Not only do blinds provide privacy and shade, but they can go a long way in helping to keep your home cool on hot summer days. The fact is that your home's windows are responsible for a significant amount of heat transfer that could lead to energy loss.
However, the additional insulation blackout blinds provide can help to reduce your energy consumption year-round, helping to save you money and reduce your carbon footprint. Keep reading to find out how investing in blackout blinds can help you save money on your utility bills.
One of the reasons blinds continue to be amongst the most popular window treatment options is due to their ability to insulate a home. Depending on the age and quality of your windows, heat transfer could increase the cost of heating/cooling your home by as much as 25%. This can result in significant expensive utility bills, particularly during the hottest part of the summer.
However, blackout window blinds can provide relief by blocking out the sun's radiant heat, insulating your home, and helping to keep cool air within your home during the hottest part of the day.
Similarly, keeping your blackout shades closed at night during winter can help trap warm air within your home and prevent it from escaping through your windows. High-quality blinds can then provide much-needed insulation to your home that will prevent your HVAC system from having to work so hard to keep your home comfortable, significantly reducing your utility bills.
Of course, timing is everything if you want to get the most out of the energy efficiency your blinds can provide. If you are like many people, you may be in the habit of opening all of the blinds in your house first thing in the morning in order to let as much natural light into your home as possible; however, this is a mistake. Opening your window treatments will allow UV rays and hot air to enter your home, which can quickly cause things to heat up on a hot summer day, forcing your AC to work overtime to keep your home cool. Instead, you should make a habit of closing your blinds first thing in the morning during the summer.
This will help trap the cool air inside your home and prevent your air conditioner from having to run until later in the day. It is particularly important that you keep blinds closed on windows that get direct sunlight. You should then open your blinds and windows at night to let cool air in to give your air conditioner a break, reducing your electricity bill. The great thing about blinds as opposed to other windows treatments is that you can adjust them to let cool air in while still maintaining your privacy.
Conversely, you will want to ensure that you sleep with your blinds closed during the winter, as your blinds will trap in heat within your home, reducing the amount of time your furnace will need to run throughout the night. You will then want to open your blinds during the warmest part of the day, as this will provide natural heat that can reduce your energy consumption. Blinds then provide ultimate flexibility and control over your comfort and privacy, allowing you to let light in when you need it, or insulate your home to reduce your energy bills.
Of course, you may find that it is a lot of work to open and close all of the window treatments in your home throughout the day, as the average home has 17 windows. In fact, it is easy to get busy and forget to adjust your blinds based on the time of day. Thusly, one of the best ways to maximize the energy efficiency of your home's windows treatments would be to invest in automated, motorized blackout blinds.
With automated blinds, you can set schedules and timers to open and close your blinds throughout the day to ensure maximum comfort, privacy, and energy efficiency. Many of these systems can even be paired with an app or smart home device, allowing you to get maximum control out of your window treatments with the touch of a button or even a voice command. Automated blackout blinds will then ensure your window treatments open and close when needed to keep your utility bills as low as possible.
Homeowners are often surprised by the extent to which blinds trap cool air within their homes, drastically reducing the amount of time their air conditioner has to run throughout the day.
If you have been struggling with high summer utility bills, it may be time to consider adding blinds to your windows to improve your home's energy efficiency. Feel free to contact us to learn more about the benefits blinds provide as well as to learn more about the window treatments we offer.
