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Your window treatments work hard. No matter if it’s summer or winter, your window treatments help protect your home’s interior from the heat or cold. Window treatments act as an insulating barrier, blocking the heat exchange that happens through bare windowpanes.
While all window coverings provide some insulation, there are several types of window treatments that really excel as insulators. And the good news is that some of the best insulators are some of the most elegant and beautiful of all window coverings.
What window coverings work best for insulation?
Cellular Shades—Three-dimensional structure traps air.
Tailored Roman Shades—Add a liner to increase insulation.
Shutters—Real wood shutters can provide some insulation.
Drapery—Fabric insulates against cold and protects against drafts.
Why Window Insulation Matters
Windows are your home’s source of light, air, and views. But they can also be a source for energy loss. The bare glass of a window provides only a small amount of protection against heat and cold. Adding any type of window treatment greatly reduces energy loss—which means less heating and cooling costs each month. That means less electricity, natural gas, propane, or other fuels—which translates to less impact on the environment. And with the right window treatment, the result is a room that stays comfortable no matter the temperature outside.
What kind of window treatments keep the heat out?
All window treatments can help keep the heat out of your home. But solar shades are specifically built to handle the task. Their super durable fabrics stand up to the sun’s heat, and their open weave allows some view to the outdoors—so you can insulate against heat and not feel like you’re closed up in a cave.
What kind of window treatments keep cold out?
Drapery and cellular shades are outstanding choices for protecting against the cold. Cellular shades, with their three-dimensional honeycomb design, hold air. This acts as a layer of insulation. Drapery, especially drapery with an added liner, acts as a blanket over your window, stopping drafts and serving as insulation.
Insulated Cellular Shades
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The best insulated window shades are cellular shades. They have a unique honeycomb shape that traps air and helps keep your home comfortable and protected from the outside temperatures.
When selecting cellular shades for your home, there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is the material. A cellular shade made with fabrics is superior to a shade made with paper. Fabric cellular shades resist wrinkling and crumpling and will last far longer than paper shades. Graber Cellular Shades are made with premium fabrics that are designed to last.
Another consideration is cell size. Cellular shades come in a variety of cell sizes—and all of them do an outstanding job protecting against heat and cold. But for the ultimate insulation, choose a double-cell fabric. The two layers of insulation are an excellent buffer against the weather outside your window.
Cellular shades aren’t just for standard windows. Many people opt to use cellular shades on their sliding glass doors, patio doors, and tall or wide windows. There is a vertically oriented version of a cellular shade that is popular for these doors and large windows. The vertical cellular shade can be coordinated with the other cellular shades in the room for a unified look.
Learn more about Graber Cellular Shades.
More Choices for Insulated Window Covers
Insulated Tailored Roman Shades
The most stylish way to beat the heat and cold is with a fabric tailored Roman shade. Custom made to fit your window, Graber Tailored Roman Shades use the power of fabric to insulate against the cold and cut down on drafts.
A Roman shade is a very easy shade—simple and dependable. A Roman shade consists of a set of control cords coupled with rings sewn into the fabric. This simplicity makes the Roman shade design perfect for showcasing a beautiful fabric. There are many reasons to choose Roman shades for your windows. The first is fabric variety. Tailored Roman shades can be made with nearly any of Graber’s hundreds of drapery fabrics. The colors, textures, and designs are endless. The best insulating fabrics you’ll find are thick or heavy, but you can add a liner to just about any fabric to boost the shade’s insulating properties. But perhaps the best reason to choose a tailored Roman shade is that you can coordinate the fabric with drapery for a truly luxurious look. Tailored Roman shades are available as smart shades as well as cordless or continuous loop lift.
Learn more about Tailored Roman Shades.
Insulated Wood Shutters
As in the case of solar shades, shutters don’t really contain insulation—but their materials and construction make them outstanding insulators: shutters’ heavy wooden components make them an excellent buffer against winter’s cold.
Shutters work in many settings. While shutters have a very classic look, their simplicity and clean, straight lines also make them an excellent choice for a modern design scheme. A white or off-white shutter can present the ideal backdrop for modern or retro elements. Choose from dozens of colors and finishes for your real wood shutters. And shutters are very practical and easy to operate. To control incoming light, grab hold of a louver (slat) with your fingers and lift or lower. It’s that simple.
Graber Wood Shutters are of the highest quality. Graber’s drying process guarantees the straightest possible wood, and all the lumber is sustainably harvested in North America. Graber shutters are made from basswood, the premier hardwood for constructing blinds. Every piece of wood that goes into the shutters is milled at a responsibly managed sawmill in Grayling, Michigan
Learn more about Graber Wood Shutters.How Fabric Color Impacts Insulation & Energy Efficiency
Choosing insulated window coverings provides outstanding protection against heat and cold. But another choice you can make involves the color of your window treatment. Dark-colored fabrics absorb more solar radiation to increase energy savings during colder months. Dark colors also have the benefit of reducing interior glare. And when choosing solar shades, the darker fabrics allow more view to the outside.
Lighter colors work the other way, reflecting solar radiation during the warmer months and allowing more daylight through the fabric during daylight hours. Light-colored solar shades allow less view to the outdoors during daylight hours.
How to Get the Maximum Benefit From Your Insulated Window Covers
There are things you can do to increase the insulating benefits of your insulated window treatments. The first is closing the shades, shutters, or drapery fully. Closing the shades takes full advantage of the window treatment’s insulation. A closed window covering also protects against the drafts that can leak in around the window. Pairing drapery with any window treatment can greatly increase your protection against heat and cold. And adding motorization and Graber’s automation app will help ensure you keep your shades opened or closed at the right times during the day to maximize your comfort.
Do thermal window covers work?
Anything placed over your window will help stop heat and cold. But insulated drapery, cellular shades, tailored Roman shades, and shutters insulate your windows without sacrificing style. Choose window treatments that you love—then find out ways to configure them to maximize your energy savings. Don’t settle for plain or unattractive window coverings—Graber has endless possibilities for beautiful windows.
Year-Round Benefits of Insulated Window Treatments
An insulating window treatment works year-round. For example, a thick set of drapes protects against the cold of winter, but it also stops the bright sun and radiating heat on a hot summer day. Graber has shades, shutters, and drapery that will work non-stop to keep your home comfortable and looking great. Your Graber design expert has the knowledge to find the perfect window coverings for your home. Don’t wait to start feeling more comfort in your home.
