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Everyone is talking about
higher energy costs for this
winter. Using proper window
treatments is one way to
combat this problem. New
window treatments are a good
economical choice and they
can help beautify your home
for those long, cold winter
months spent indoors.
Windows and doors are the
primary way that things move
in and out of your house.
They allow you to see out as
well as allow people to see
in. They also allow air to
move in and out of your
house (even when they are
closed). Light, sound, and
thermal energy pass though
them as well. Windows and
doors, therefore, are highly
important elements of your
home�s architecture. Let�s
address the insulating
characteristics of window
treatments.
Even though today�s
double-pained, gas-filled
windows are highly efficient
and provide better
insulation than the windows
of the past, they could
still use some help from
window treatments. On a cold
day go and place your hand
on the glass. Does it feel
cold? It does, doesn�t it?
Thermal energy, heat from
the inside and cold from the
outside, are being exchanged
on this surface. This means
that the air inside your
house is getting cold as it
passes over the window.
The proper window treatment
can offer help here. Lined
draperies, cellular shades,
or Roman shades are all
excellent choices. They help
the same way that fiberglass
insulation works in your
walls. They trap air. Lined
draperies and Roman shades
create an air pocket between
the window and your room
inside. In the case of
cellular shades the air
pocket is created inside the
shade. Buying cellular
shades with multiple layers
of honeycombs can increase
their insulating value.
Exchanging thermal energy
with the outside isn�t
always bad, though. Letting
the sun shine in during the
day can warm the house as
well as lift your spirits.
So, make sure that you buy
something with a good
quality lifting or traverse
mechanism that won�t break
from daily use. If you are
building a new home,
remodeling, or putting on an
addition now is a great time
to be thinking about
motorization. Motorized
shades can be wired in and
programmed to raise and
lower automatically to
maximize energy efficiency.
Another important factor to
consider is the color and
style of your window
treatments. Just think, you
are going to be spending a
lot more time looking at
those same windows and walls
over the next 3 to 4 months.
Introducing some warm colors
and new style to the room
could be just what the
doctor ordered. It is well
known that psychology plays
a large role in our health
and well being.
Colors such as yellow,
orange, and red cheer you up
and make you feel warmer so
that you can fend off the
winter blah�s. So now is an
excellent time to think
about redecorating to
breathe some new life into a
tired d'cor. New window
treatments can be both
beautiful and practical and
are worth considering when
taking on those indoor
projects for the winter
months.
Courtesy of Cindy Anderson,
V2K Window Fashions |