Central Coast Home & Lifestyle Magazine Summer 2016

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Home&Lifestyle Magazine | Summer 2016 19
With all the talk around at the moment
about energy bills, it’s the little things
we look to in our home to keep the
costs down.
The NSW government “Save Power” website
*states:-
“Windows are a big source of unwanted
temperature loss and gain in your home.
Choosing the right window coverings mean
you can improve the comfort of your home all-
year-round, reduce your power bills by around
$55 or more, and cut carbon pollution by
200 kg each year.”
TOP 9 TIPS FOR KEEPING YOUR WINDOWS
COOLER THIS SUMMER
1. Anything you put on your window will help,
as up to 40% of the heat is coming through
the glass and into your home. The larger the
window, the more heat is radiating through
it. Heat can also come through the roof,
doors and walls of your home. The thicker
the fabric you use on your blind, the better.
It’s all about layers and pockets of air. The
more you have or thicker the fabric you
have, the better insulation.
2. Keep blinds, shutters or curtains closed on
particularly hot days. In the heat of Summer
if the window is facing the East (Sunrise)
or the West (Sunset) keep the blind closed
during this time to prevent it heating up the
room. Once the main source of heat has
gone, you can open the blind.
3. With new technology now available
you can programme and automate your
motorized blinds to roll down automatically
in the afternoon to protect against the hot
afternoon sun. Motorized blinds can now
be operated remotely from smart phones
anywhere in the world.
4. Put external blinds, awnings and roller
shutters down over windows that have
direct sun on them on a hot day. This adds
an extra layer of protection for your window
and keeps the heat off the window. It is the
glass window heating up that radiates heat
into your home. Stopping the heat from the
outside is the most effective.
5. The most effective window treatment
externally for blocking the heat are
aluminum roller shutters, thick canvas
fabric window awnings, acrylic fabric
window awnings or screen fabric window
awnings.
6. The most effective window treatments
internally for blocking the heat are thick
curtains, plantation shutters, honeycomb
insulated blinds, thick blockout blinds, or
dual roller blinds (2 blinds on one window, 1
screen, and 1 blockout)
7. Plantation Shutters are an ideal insulator
and can create a well-insulated room while
controlling
the light.
S h u t t e r s
are thicker
than most
b l i n d s
and are a
p r e m i u m
solution to
insulating
your home.
8. The colour
of the fabric that is exposed to the sun
makes a difference when it comes to heat.
The lighter fabrics are cooler and reflect
more heat. Think a black car as opposed to
a white car.
9. Ask a trained window furnishing consultant
about how to get the best insulation effect
with your new blinds, awnings or shutters.
Many will carry a compass to identify the
hottest areas of the house and be able to
give you advice on how to manage it.
This article supplied by Sharon Tieman
Director. Premier Shades
18/482 Pacific Highway, Wyoming
Ph: 02 4324 8800.
*reference from:
Stop throwing money out the window this summer!