Window Treatment Requirements
There were a few key features I was interested when I was planning out my window treatments.
Energy Efficient - First and foremost I wanted my window treatments to help make the room more comfortable.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Energy Efficient Window Treatments
Provide Privacy and Light - Im currently using opaque blinds which provide me with privacy or light but not both at the same time.
Light Control - If Id like to darken the room I have that option.
Attractive - The window treatments should add to the aesthetics of the room, not detract from it.
Window Treatment Layers
The bubble wrap increases the insulation of the window. It will obstruct the view but will still allow light to pass through. It will be applied to the windows once the weather drops and removed when it starts to warm up and only used on windows that I dont care too much about the view.
The bubble wrap needs to be cut to fit the glass of the window. Mix up a solution of water with a drop of liquid soap and spray it generously over the glass and press the bubble wrap on the window just like when applying window film. It will keep the bubble wrap in place and make it easy to remove in the Spring. If stored carefully the bubble wrap should last a number of years.
The bubble wrap needs to be cut to fit the glass of the window. Mix up a solution of water with a drop of liquid soap and spray it generously over the glass and press the bubble wrap on the window just like when applying window film. It will keep the bubble wrap in place and make it easy to remove in the Spring. If stored carefully the bubble wrap should last a number of years.
Double Cell Honeycomb Shades
The next layer will be double cellular shades which help insulate the window by providing 2 air pockets within the shade. The shades are light filtering so they allow some light to enter the room even when the shades are covering the windows. Many come with a top-down/bottom-up feature which allows the shade to be lowered from the top to allow for more light and a bit of view while still providing privacy. The one drawback compared to blinds is that you cant have good air flow and some light and privacy.
The most energy efficient cellular shades Ive seen are these Comfortex Energy Efficient 3/8" Double Cell Shades. In addition to providing the increased r-value that double cell shades do, their ComforTrack side track increases the r-value by about 17% (r-value 3.3 vs 2.8) by further restricting airflow at each side of the shade where it meets the window jamb. The shades are also available as blackout shades if youre interested in installing them in a home theater or bedroom. Personally I like the idea of light filtering shades with room darkening or blackout curtains instead of blackout shades.
The Comfortex Energy Efficient Cellular Shades arent cheap. Theyre about twice the price of the Blinds.com 3/8" Double Cell Shades which dont come with a track but do provide better insulation compared to my current blinds.
Thermal Lined Curtains
To further increase the energy efficiency as well as provide additional light control a pair of thermal lined curtains will go over the window and shades. A couple of years ago I installed 2 different types of thermal/blackout curtains. Some were Eclipse Blackout Curtains
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