Window Treatments for Energy Savings

Your windows are an aesthetic focal point of your Mid-Atlantic home. However, inefficient windows that allow substantial heat gain/loss will be a point of concern regarding higher energy bills. So, if you would like to save energy and beautify your home at the same time, look no further than window treatments.

Clear Benefits

Your windows are typically the least efficient component of your home’s envelope. During the summer, sunlight streams into rooms bringing heat gain. During the winter season, windows with poor R-value lose heat and make your furnace work harder.

Consider the following interior and exterior window treatments to insulate your comfort and energy budget.

Interior

• Window film — Window films limit solar heat gain, but they permanently obscure views due to their tint.
• Insulated curtains — Save energy with layered curtains, which are available in any style to suit your tastes.
• Blinds — Window blinds may be installed flush to the glass or inside double-pane windows. Blinds offer a simple solution to control solar heat gain and add charm to your rooms.
• Shades — Cellular honeycomb shades are excellent window treatments that block solar and conduction heat gain/loss by “trapping” air inside cells. You may also diffuse light into your home using sheer shades.

Exterior

• Awnings — According to the federal Energy Saver program, awnings that shade sun-struck windows may reduce solar heat gain by up to 77 percent. They may also be rolled up or retracted during the winter to allow sunlight into your home.
• Panels — Install storm panels inside or outside your windows and reduce heat gain/loss by up to 50 percent.
• Shutters — Shutters provide better home efficiency while adding security and privacy.

Remember, by boosting window efficiency with appropriate treatments, you reduce the load on your A/C and furnace. Work with the right HVAC company for the best results!

At Sobieski Services, Inc., our goal is to help our customers in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey learn more about energy and home comfort issues — especially HVAC and plumbing issues — so that they can save money and live in healthier, more comfortable homes.