It seems everyone wants to know what the best kind of insulated window treatments are. Everybody is trying to go ‘green’ these days, and who can say that they wouldn’t be interested in saving money? In fact, last I heard there was a $1500 tax credit available for people that make energy efficient improvements to their homes. The best option seems to be honeycomb shades. They are sometimes referred to as cellular shades and usually come in two styles. There are double cell and single cell shades, both of which have superior properties of insulation. In most cases however, two cells are preferable to one.
Sure enough, the whole idea behind the honeycomb design actually comes from Mother Nature herself. It is the strongest barrier available; that’s why the bees store their pollen in it. Here’s a cool little trick for science lovers: in a dish of soapy water or milk, take a straw and blow some bubbles. You see how they build up on top and start to form honeycomb shapes? Well, there you have it. The honeycomb design traps air inside and insulates your house. It keeps the hot air out and the cool air in during the summer months and of course, during the winter months keeps the warm air in your home where it belongs and the cold outside air out.
By all means, get sidetracked! A sidetrack system is what allows the shade to conform to the window. After all, even the most awesome shades are only capable of insulating as completely as they cover. The sidetrack system fits snugly to the edges of your window, preventing air from sneaking through. It blocks hot sunlight as well. How well does it insulate? Only about five times more efficiently than a normal single window pane. It’s simply the best type of insulation money can buy when it comes to insulating your windows. Of course if everyone had honeycomb window shades life would be boring. Therefore, double and single cell shades come in different styles of window treatments, and the sidetrack system is available on various blinds as well. If Roman shades are more your style, try them with an added liner for better insulation.
A truly energy efficient insulated window treatment must do three things. It must have a tight seal so that air is prevented from circulating behind the draperies or shade. Since a window loses 10 times more heat energy than a wall, the window treatment must have a method by which heat loss is prevented in order to be considered a truly insulating window treatment. Finally, a vapor barrier which will reduce condensation forming on the window due to the room’s warm air must be present. In addition, a word of warning, if your windows are constructed of sealed insulating double glass, applying the interior insulation could cause those windows to crack. Avoid leaving the insulation on if it’s a sunny day. This would create a huge temperature difference between the outside and inside glass. Also, when the warm air first makes contact with the window after the removal of the insulation, sometimes the window can crack. Extra glazing usually prevents this.
So if you’re looking for insulated windows in Richmond, Va be sure to call Ace Glass at 804-379-4799!