Guest Blogger: How to Choose Energy Efficient Window Treatments

If lately, you’ve been thinking about ways to give your home a bit of an “upgrade”, why not consider installing new window treatments? The wonderful thing about this particular option is that there are a variety of window treatments to choose from, even if you are looking for ones that are energy efficient.

If this has piqued your interest and you need some tips on how to begin your eco-friendly window treatment search, we have five helpful suggestions for you below:

Choose the right energy efficient window treatments

Image via: Cellular Window Shades.com

Know the kind of look that you want to achieve.

Before you start to look for window treatments that are energy efficient, first stop to think about the style that you want to have. Drapes, blinds, mesh window screens, shades and shutters are just some of kinds that you have to choose from. So, first thumb through a few interior decorating magazines and Google some window treatment ideas so that you’ll have an idea of the way you want your rooms to appear.

Consider the pros and cons of all of the styles.

With each kind of window treatment, there are some pros and cons to consider. For instance, while medium-colored drapes can reduce the amount of heat that comes into a room by as much as 33 percent, it’s best not to have them in rooms where they can get wet (like your bathroom). Or, if you want with something like high-reflectivity window films, while they are excellent for blocking the sun’s rays, they tend to make it hard to see outdoors, plus they require quite a bit of cleaning maintenance. So as you’re narrowing down your options, be sure to look up their advantages and disadvantages.

Make sure to factor in the costs.

One kind of window treatment that is attractive in basically any part of your house are shades; more specifically, roller or Roman shades. You can find them in a variety of colors and prints and they are great for controlling their air filtration in your home. However, whether you go with shades or another option, make sure to speak with a customer service associate at one of your home improvement stores about how you can find the kind of window treatments that you want that won’t just be energy-efficient, but cost-effective too.

How can you save more energy in your home?

Image via: Schwartz and Architecture

Don’t forget about the outside of your home.

One good thing about energy efficient window treatments is that you can find ones for the exterior as well as the interior of your home. Overhangs, exterior blinds and awnings are some of the ones that you can have installed outside. So, if you actually like the interior window treatments that you currently have or you would like some exterior treatments to complement the UPVC windows that you just had installed, simply go to your favorite search engine and put “exterior window treatment options” in the search field to look up which ones will be the most suitable for your house.

Consider having window treatments professionally installed.

OK, if you purchased something as simple as curtains, you can probably hang those yourself, but if you have something like exterior blinds, insulated panels or overhangs, you might want to consider having them professionally installed. It may cost a bit more money to do it, but to know that they’re put in correctly can give you the peace of mind you need as you move on to another home decor project.

For more energy efficient ideas on Stagetecture, click here.