Letting the daylight in to your home, maintaining privacy and achieving a comfortable temperature sound like basic and natural requirements. However, these things come at price which is reflected in your energy bills and ultimately in the impact on the environment.
Your windows area the thinnest barrier between you, the weather, and the temperature conditions outside. Whatever the season, the only insulation and sun barrier protection in these areas is usually the same temporary barrier i.e. your curtains or blinds.
Windows are perhaps best visualised as areas of the exchange and flow of various energies, i.e. the flow of air into and out of the house, the flow of solar heat into the house from natural radiation, and other non-solar heat loss e.g convection or conduction.
Typically, anywhere between 20% and 50% of the heat gain and loss in your home is down to these window areas. The relevance of this to householder is that paying less attention to the windows can lead to:
1. Higher heating bills
Losing heat through ineffective and inefficient windows leads to greater use of heat energy in the home to compensate.
2. A less energy efficient home that is less attractive to potentisaol home buyers.
The new Home Information Packs will include an Energy Performance Certificate which tells potential home buyers how enegy efficient your house is.
3. A greater envornomental cost.
Poor insulation and heat loss leads to greater consumption of energy, and the ultimate negative impact on the wider environment that modern mass energy production has.
Other Damage
Your soft furnishings, paintings and carpets fall victim to ultra violet radiation over time. This kind of radiation makes up a larger part of what we perceive as 'sunlight' and it is responsible for fading the colour of fabrics in the home. Obviously we don't want to shut sunlight out so adaptable and effective window coverings need to be found.
The Solution
The obvious initial solution to the challenges posed by energy flows in the windows is to get double glazed windows and doors, or secondary double glazing in older properties. This should immediately reduce your heating bills (in the colder months).
Other insuation around the home could also be added e.g. loft insualtion.
Some plastic coatings can be used on glass to reduce the ultra violet entering the house and fading the furnishings.
Window decoration / window coverings such as
vertical blinds are a very important fiishing touch to the energy efficiency of your home. The flexibility provided by the angling of the
vertical blind louvres means that they can reduce ultra violet and unwanted 'glare' but can let a comfortable amount of light evenly into the room. When the louvres are fully shut they provide a barrier that protects from further light and radiation intrusion, and provide a layer of insulation that helps to keep the heat in if necessary. Unlike curtains, if areas of the blinds become more faded than others, indiviual areas can be replaced e.g. individual slats/louvres can be purchased.
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