Stop Throwing Money Out The Window (p.28)

By Ted Browne

I opened up my mail the other day and was greeted by my monthly electric bill. I was quickly reminded that we are now firmly entrenched in air conditioning season. If spring was any indication, it looks like we are in for a long, hot summer that promises to include quite a few more high energy bills. Fortunately, there are steps that we can all take to reduce our energy consumption, lower our energy bills, and in the process, do something good for the environment.

The first thing we should do is focus on the area of highest energy consumption in our homes. Many people mistakenly believe that appliances, computers, and lighting are huge energy hogs. While it’s true that all of these do add to your monthly bill, the single largest contributor is your windows and doors. While today’s windows do a pretty good job of preventing unwanted air flow, they still offer little resistance to the flow of heat and cold. In fact, up to 50% of your home’s heating and cooling energy pours right through your windows!

So, it sounds like we have identified the major culprit. Now let’s look at a few ways that we can stop throwing money out the window.

THREE WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY

Installing energy efficient window coverings in your home can significantly reduce your energy consumption in three important ways: by reducing heat flow (heat loss and gain) through your windows; controlling solar heat by letting it in during winter and keeping it out in the summer; and incorporating more natural light by diffusing and dispersing sunlight into a room. There are more options than ever before when it comes to selecting window fashions, many of which are specifically designed to help you save money by helping in one or more of these three areas. By better understanding the elements of energy efficiency, you’ll be more prepared for selecting and operating the window coverings that are best suited for your particular needs.

REDUCING HEAT FLOW

Heat flows both ways through the window, depending on the time of the year. During winter, heat escapes to the outside and can make your home feel cold and drafty. In the summertime, heat enters through the windows, causing your air conditioning to run more often and your home to feel hot and stuffy. The best way to minimize the flow of heat through your windows is to insulate them.

There are many types of window coverings that offer superior insulation qualities and are much more fashionable than the fiberglass insulation you would put in your walls and ceilings. First, though, let’s start with one of the worst. Aluminum mini-blinds, which were a popular choice of homeowners around 15 years ago, are super-conductors of both heat and cold, so they do very little to contribute to the comfort of your home in the winter or summer. Honeycomb shades, also known as cellular shades, are among the best of the window coverings for insulation, and can actually increase the energy value at your window by 25%-300%, while cutting heat loss by up to two-thirds. Some highly energy efficient honeycomb shades even qualify for the Federal Energy Tax Credit of up to $1,500, available through the end of the year. Other good choices for reducing heat flow through your windows are plantation shutters, because they provide a relatively tight seal around the windows, and lined draperies.

CONTROLLING SOLAR HEAT

Depending on the time of year, solar heat gain can be a good thing or a bad thing. In the winter, you’ll want to take advantage of the sun’s heat energy. You can do this by raising or opening your window coverings whenever direct sunlight is shining on the window – in the morning for east-facing windows and afternoon for west.

During the summer, you’ll want to do the opposite. Standard double-pane windows allow about 75% of the solar energy to get into your home, which can kick that air conditioning unit into overdrive if your windows are left uncovered. Some window coverings can help lower that number to about 15%, meaning that your home will stay much cooler with less energy usage. Lined draperies, for example, can reduce the solar heat gains by about 33%, according to the University of Florida.

ENHANCING THE USE OF NATURAL LIGHT

Because unfiltered sunlight can be so harsh, we often find ourselves closing our blinds and shades during the day to reduce the glare and protect our furniture, art, and floor coverings from harmful UV rays, which can cause fading and fabric deterioration. The downside to this is that we must often turn on artificial lighting so we can see properly.

Daylighting is a term used to describe the use of natural light to illuminate the inside of your home. The goals of daylighting are to even the intensity of incoming light and bring it deeper into the room, and this is best done by diffusing the light. There are several types of window coverings that are designed to enhance daylighting while providing excellent UV protection for your furnishings. Many of these window coverings can also be designed with a top-down bottom-up feature, which allows for even more control and flexibility over the incoming light.

We’re all becoming more aware of how we can reduce our energy consumption and be more environmentally conscious. One of the simplest and most efficient ways to do this in your home is to use window coverings to harness the power of the sun when you need it, and block it when you don’t. This is just one way that we can do our part to make the earth a better place, and to save some money while doing it.

Ted Browne is with Gotcha Covered, located in Cary. He may be reached at 919-782-7007 or visit www.gotchacovered.com.