Heating and energy costs can be quite high here in the United States, there’s no doubt about it. In fact, the average heating and cooling costs in the typical home can sometimes even make up as much as half of the total energy bill on a month to month basis, factoring in the time of year it is as well. For many people, lowering heating and cooling costs is something that would be hugely beneficial – and it is actually something that can be done with the right window fashions and window treatments, from UV protective blinds to motorized blinds and shades as well.
For instance, heavy draperies are ideal in homes and places where cold winters are commonplace. In fact, having heavy draperies in place has actually been known to cut energy costs for the room in which they are used by sometimes as much as 10%. And while this might not seem like all that much money, it is certainly a value that can continue to add up over time. Of course, draperies and heavy draperies are not the only window fashions that can help to reduce energy costs in a considerable way.
In addition to such window fashions, medium colored draperies that have white plastic backings to them can also be impactful in reducing overall energy costs throughout the entirety of the year – and not just during the summer months alone. In fact, such draperies and window fashions can reduce heat gains during warmer months considerably – in some cases, but a full 33%, which is no small amount, to say the very least.
UV protective blinds have also proven to be hugely useful in many a home throughout the country. For many people, concern over fading can be immense, especially when valuable artwork and furniture is involved. UV protective blinds can certainly be essential in protecting against this, blocking out the harmful UV rays that are known to cause this fading in the first place. In addition to this, UV protective blinds are window fashions and window coverings that can help to protect human skin as well, as some level of UV rays still pass through windows, a fact that far too few people are aware of.
However, the use of window fashions will not always be enough to lower energy costs sufficiently, as up to 30% of any given home’s energy is lost directly through the windows. This becomes a much greater problem with older windows, as these windows are known to become drafty and sticky in their frames. In fact, this will likely be the case in any windows that are over 15 years of age, though some windows can last for as many as a full 20 years when they are well cared for. Of course, older windows that have become drafty are very likely to lead to energy bills that have climbed immensely.
So while having a window replaced can be quite expensive – sometimes up to $700 for a single window and typically no less than $300 – it’s a process that is more than likely to be worth it at the end of the day. After all, energy savings will continue to add up over the course of time, and will be something that ultimately make the expensive cost of paying for a new window more than worth it. You can even continue to compound your total energy savings through the use of various window fashions, which range from vertical blinds to woven wood coverings to even light-filtering blinds or metal blinds. For many people, such an investment is simply that – an investment for the future.
At the end of the day, we should really all be trying to save as much energy as we possibly can. For some people, this will mean investing in energy saving window fashions. For others, it will mean getting brand new windows entirely. And for still more it will mean investing in both. No matter what you do, however, even the smallest steps can end up making a considerably positive difference in overall energy usage in your very own home.