Window treatments
are not only used for decoration but they are also used for reducing the
temperature of the room by preventing the outside heat from entering into the
room in summer and not letting the inside heat to flow outside in winter ,thus
reducing the electricity bill.
Some of the basic window treatments are as
follows:
- Blinds
- Awnings
- Draperies
- Insulated panels
- High reflectivity films
- Shutters
Blinds:
Window blinds are of two types vertical and horizontal.
They are more efficient to reduce the heat in the summer than gaining the heat
in winter.
Interior blinds:
As there are a number of openings in between the
slats so controlling the heat loss is difficult in case of interior blinds.
However in summer the interior blinds are very useful for preventing the
outside heat. You can adjust and control the ventilation of the slats. When
completely closed the interior blinds can reduce the heat up to 45%.
Exterior Blinds:
The exterior blinds are also known as roller blinds. They are installed above the windows and
while lowering or raising the side channels help them in their movements. When
the slats are lowered completely it provides the darkness or the shade, and
when it is lowered partially it allows partial entry of light inside the room.
Awnings:
Window awnings are used to resist the entry of
heat inside the room and thereby keeping the room cool. You can use a custom
made awning to shade the entire room. Awnings are made of synthetic fabrics and
are water resistant. You should choose an opaque awning as because light
colored awning will reflect more light. Awnings need ventilation to let the air
inside the room flow out, thus resisting suffocation. Awnings can be opened to
sides or top to provide ventilation.
Draperies:
Draperies ability to gain and lose heat depends
on the quality of the fabric and of course the color. Draperies are used in
those windows which receive direct sunlight to make the room cool. It has been
found that medium colored draperies can decrease heat gain by 35%. Draperies
also stay cool in summer because they release heat by convection. When used in
winter draperies can reduce the heat loss up to 10%.So it is advisable to close
all the draperies at night including those which doesn’t receive sunlight. Two
draperies hung together will be more effective than just one. The drapery which
faces the room maintains the temperature of the room as the in between space of
the two draperies thus adding comfort to the room.
Insulated
panels:
Insulating panels generally consists of rigid
foam insulation. Users can clip the insulating panels to the interior of the
window. The panels are made in such a way so that their edges get sealed
tightly against the window frame. The panels are normally magnetic so no hardware
like hinge or screw is required for its installation. Insulating panels are not
expensive but it requires a lot of space when not in use.
High
reflectivity films:
High reflectivity film is mostly used in summer
as because they resist the sunlight to come inside the room. However they are
also effective in winter because they retain the room’s heat from flowing
outside.
The effectiveness of reflectivity films depends
on the following factors:
- Climate
- Window size
- Orientation of the building
- Interior insulation of the window
They are very much effective for the east west
facing windows as because these windows gain more heat, however the north
facing windows would not be so much beneficial as far as reflectivity films are
concern. There are also some disadvantages of these films:
- They creates reflection
- They need extra care and cleaning
- They disturbs outside visibility
