Beat the Heat
One of the best places to escape the unbearable heat of summer is indoors. Getting out of the beating sun to relax in the protection of an air conditioned house gives you a chance to cool down and refresh for the rest of the day. However, sunlight can still creep into your home through the windows, negating the coolness or making your air conditioner work harder to keep your house cool.
An effective way to keep your home cooler this summer is to use curtains and drapes, shades and blinds to block the warm summer sunlight.
Curtains and Drapes
Closing curtains and drapes – especially on windows that get direct sunlight – during hot summer days can help you beat the heat. Thick curtains can block out and reflect a lot of the incoming heat. Draperies and curtains perform differently based on fabric type and color. According to Consumer Reports, medium-colored draperies with white, plastic backings reduce heat gain by as much as 33 percent.
If draperies and curtains are your window treatments of choice, check out Boca Blinds’ wide selection of draperies and soft treatments that can both beautify your space and help you stay cool this summer.
Shades
Consumer Reports also noted that window shades are one of the simplest and most effective ways to save energy when they are properly installed and drawn all day. Mount your shades close to the glass within the window frame to create a sealed space that can trap heat and prevent your home from warming up. Reversible shades are a great option that allows you to switch out your shades depending on the season, using the white side to reflect the sun in the summer and dark side to absorb sunlight in the cooler months.
Boca Blinds offers a diverse array of shades to suit the style you’re looking for. Applause Honeycomb shades and Duette shades are designed for energy efficiency, while thick Vignette Modern Roman shades can give you much desired heat protection.
Blinds
Blinds are great for beating the summer heat, as you can adjust the horizontal slats to control lighting and ventilation. According to Consumer Reports, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by around 45 percent when completely closed. Blinds can also be adjusted to block or reflect direct sunlight. Light-colored interior blinds are effective at blocking sunlight and tend to offer the greatest reduction in solar heat gain.
Silhouette and Nantucket window shadings from Boca Blinds offer privacy and relief from the summer heat while Faux Wood blinds are ideal for areas of direct sunlight and extreme temperatures.
Consider using curtains and draperies, shades and blinds this summer to keep your house cooler all season long. Plus, attractive window treatments will also help make your space more inviting, helping you stay comfortable in style all throughout the year. Check out our full selection online now, or call us today at 561-368-5322 for a free in-home estimate.