One of the best ways to insulate your home and make it more energy efficient is to install blinds and shades on your windows. But what’s best for a home in the humid South may not be the best option for a home in the dry Southwest. In addition, windows in geographic regions that get 300+ days of sunshine per year should be insulated and covered differently than windows in regions that get much less sunshine and experience cold or freezing temperatures for several months.
While any window covering is better than no window covering when it comes to insulating your home and protecting your furniture and your family’s privacy, maximizing the effectiveness of your blinds and shades by picking ones that are suited to your area’s climate can go a long way toward making your home more energy efficient 365 days per year.
For a list of the best window treatments for different climates, check out Blindster’s top picks below:
Sunny and Dry
Homeowners who live in warm, dry, and sunny climates have a wide range of options to choose from. The biggest need for many people in these area is reducing the amount of heat that enters their windows, eliminating harsh glares, and reducing the effects of UV rays.
Ideal window treatments for this geographic region include:
- Solar Shades Many homeowners in warm, sunny climates want to maximize the perks of living in such an area by filling their homes with natural sunlight. However, they also want to minimize the warming effect caused by sunlight and the damage its UV rays can do to their furniture and even their skin.Our Premium and Deluxe solar shades are made with Phifer Sheerweave® fabrics, which are highly durable while significantly reducing heat and glare while preserving your view of the outdoors. They’re also designed to cut down on the intensity of the sun’s UV rays, increasing the lifespan of your furniture and protecting fabric, wood, and other materials from fading.
- Sheer Shades If solar shades aren’t a good fit for your home, but you still want to maximize natural sunlight to heat and light your living room, bed room, or dining room, sheer shades are an excellent alternative.These window coverings are a mixture of shades and blinds with fabric vanes floating between soft, knitted fabric sheers. Raise the vanes to get soft, diffused, and filtered light in your home that has 99 percent fewer UV rays than unblocked sunlight.
Cold and Rainy
Areas like the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast often receive large amounts of rainfall and snowfall. In the winter, windows can become a major source of heat loss for homes in these regions. At Blindster, we recommend heavy blinds and shades that can provide maximum insulation to keep warm air in and cold air out during the fall, winter, and early spring.
Some of the top window coverings for rainy and cold areas are:
- Roman Shades Roman shades are thick and heavy like a winter coat. And just like your favorite winter clothing, these window treatments are designed to ward off cold air and keep drafts at bay. Our Premium Roman shades are available in four groups—A, B, C, and D—with dozens of colors to choose from within each category.When combined with energy efficient or newly insulated windows, these shades are the ultimate in keeping your home protected the harsh elements outside. Raise them during the day to naturally heat your home when the sun is out and lower them at night to seal the warm air indoors. Finally, pair them with a blackout liner for extra privacy, light reduction, and insulation.
- Wood Blinds Nothing completes the look of a stately New England home or a rustic cabin nestled in the Pacific Northwest quite like wood blinds. Our real wood blinds are made from kiln-dried American basswood, which is harvested from forests in the Eastern USA and Canada. For many homeowners, there’s no substitute for the subtle textures and colors found in actual wood grain, and that’s why we use only the highest-quality wood in our manufacturing process.Real wood blinds are great at insulating homes and acting as a barrier between your living room, bedroom, or office and cold, rainy drafts outside. The best part about installing wood blinds in wet and cold climates is the fact that they seamlessly match almost all furniture and décor that’s native to those areas.
Sunny and Rainy
Florida is known as the Sunshine State, but anyone who lives there knows that rain showers are a frequent occurrence—as are high levels of humidity. All the moisture in the area can cause some types of window treatments to fade, warp, or even mildew over long periods of time, especially if they’re exposed to the elements due to open windows or doors.
These window treatments are designed to hold up against both the sun’s damaging rays and the effects of frequent high humidity:
- Faux Wood Blinds Faux wood blinds are created using synthetic materials, such as vinyl and vinyl compound materials. However, they look and feel extremely similar to real wood. But unlike wood blinds, faux wood blinds are designed to stand up to harsh conditions. Real wood is susceptible to warping and discoloration due to things like constant sunlight exposure and humidity, but faux wood was specifically designed to be used in humid conditions such as bathrooms, kitchens, and garages.With these blinds, you’ll have peace of mind in even the wettest and sunniest climates. Feel free to leave your patio doors and windows open and let in a fresh breeze, as the hardy construction of faux wood blinds means that they’ll be no worse for the wear even after years of exposure to moisture and high humidity.
- Aluminum Blinds Want blinds that are easy to clean, resistant to fading, and durable enough to hold up for many years? If so, you can’t go wrong with our aluminum blinds. These window coverings are extremely common in homes, apartments, and businesses throughout the world for good reason. They work well in virtually any climate and thrive under even the harshest conditions.In addition to being highly effective at blocking out light and protecting your privacy, aluminum blinds are also ideal for warm and humid climates. Like faux wood blinds, aluminum blinds won’t mold or mildew and can be easily cleaned with solutions that might damage other types of window coverings.
