Introduction
It’s important to keep your Jacksonville, FL home safe and cool during the hot summer months. Heat and humidity can make your home sweltering, and you’ll want to take steps to ensure that it’s cool and your air conditioner is not overworking itself.
Did you know that you can utilize your window treatments and custom-made window treatment products to decrease the temperature in your home? Sunlight shining through your windows can significantly raise the temperatures inside your home. But in Jacksonville window treatments are an easy and effective solution to block the sun’s rays and not only keep temperatures low, but also improve the efficiency of your air conditioning system, keeping your utility bills lower all summer long.
Tips on How to Beat or Lessen the Heat in Summer by Using Window Treatments from Gala Designs
Window treatments offer many benefits, including their ability to reduce energy loss and lower heating and cooling costs. According to Energy.gov, approximately 76 percent of the sunlight that falls on double-pane windows enters your home to become heat. This overworks your air conditioning unit, making it harder to cool your Jacksonville home and adding unnecessary wear and tear on your AC system.
However, window treatments – such as roller shades, roman shades, and window shutters – can help lower energy costs by decreasing the amount of sunlight entering your home.
Window Shutters
Window shutters give you the option of opening or closing your window treatments. You can leave them open to let in daylight and allow you access to the beautiful view outside your window, or you can close them during the heat of the day to prevent sunlight from heating up your home. Not only can you reduce heat gain in the summer months, but you can take advantage of sunlight in the winter season and naturally warm up your room.
Energy.gov states that one study found that 75% of residential window treatments remain in the same position day in and day out. If you’re the type of person that doesn’t open or close your window treatments, you might want to reconsider. Open your shutters in the cool morning hours before the sun reaches its peak. Then close the window shutters when the sun begins to directly enter your room. The time will vary depending on the direction your windows face.
Roman and Roller Shades
Roman shades are fabric window treatments that fold into a series of stacks when raised. Roller shades pull up into a cylinder at the top of the window when they are opened. Both come in a variety of styles, colors, and textures and offer you the flexibility to open and close your window treatments. Since Roman shades and roller shades are available in different fabric types, you can take advantage of thicker fabrics for their enhanced thermal performance.
Roman shades offer an elegant appearance and upgrade the look to any room. They typically fit just inside the window casing, enabling them to completely block out all sunlight when drawn closed. You may still be able to get plenty of natural light in your home without worrying about heat gain through your windows. Close the Roman shades receiving direct sunlight while opening other window treatments in your home, so it doesn’t feel cramped and dank. Natural sunlight can open a room up and give it a fresh, airy feel.
Window Blinds
Adding window blinds to your Jacksonville home can help you control the amount of sunlight entering your windows. Blinds, both vertical and horizontal slat varieties, are effective at blocking sunlight, reducing glare, and decreasing solar heat gain.
Choose highly reflective blinds to get the most value. When lowered and completely closed, highly reflective blinds are potent at reducing sunlight’s effects. Horizontal slats can be used to redirect sunlight to a light-colored ceiling, adding to the natural light in a room while still diffusing the light’s heat and glare.
Cellular Shades
Cellular shades, also known as honeycomb shades, are made to fold up, accordion-like, to either the top or bottom of a window. They have air pockets in a honeycomb-shaped center that trap air and act as insulation for your window. Cellular shades are really popular in Jacksonville, FL due to their insulating properties. Unlike other treatments that just block the sunlight, cellular shades actually act as a buffer between the hot outside air and the cool air in your home.
Cellular shades not only add insulation to your home, but also increase your home’s resale value, add beauty and style to any room, and offer privacy. Energy.gov suggests that cellular shades reduce solar heat gain through windows by up to 80 percent, and when installed with a tight fit, can block 85 percent of heat.
Automated Window Treatments
You can make the most of your energy savings by utilizing automated window treatments. Rather than opening and closing window treatments multiple times per day to block direct sunlight throughout your home, you can use custom-made window treatment products from Gala Designs and take advantage of automated features.
With automated window coverings, you can open or close treatments with the touch of a button from your home office, while relaxing on the couch, or wherever you may be. You can also access the timer setting to schedule the opening or closing of your window treatments throughout the day.
Conclusion
You have the tools to beat the heat with Jacksonville window treatments. Take advantage of each treatment product’s ability to block or reflect sunlight so that your home remains cool and comfortable all summer long. Contact your local consultant at Gala Designs for help with every step of the process from consultation to professional installation. Ready to begin? Contact us today to request your consultation.
