We all know the uncomfortable feeling of having our homes too warmed up, to the point where our air conditioner is working pretty much day and night.
However, our air cooler burns a lot of energy, so instead of trying to fight the incoming heat with them and thus increasing your energy bill, it’s best to switch to other strategies when it comes to reducing incoming – simply blocking it.
Why not many people know this, there are many cheap ways to cope with an overheating home. There’s simple methods like placing bubble wrap, or more sophisticated means like day night blinds or other solutions.
Window shades that help block out the heat
Windows shades are arguably the most simple means in coping with this problem. While it won’t outright solve it, it will help prevent additional heat coming into your house. Moreover, they’re pretty easy to install, which means that you can do all of the setup yourself.
The important thing in this case is to select the right materials for your shades and to install them as close to the windows themselves as possible. This way you’ll get the maximum benefit from the shades.
Experts recommend going for a cellular type of shade for a simple and cost-effective solution. They help in trapping air incoming from the window, thus reducing the heat gained.
Another thing that’s very important in this case is the colour for your shades. Typically beige or white are the way to go, since they absorb the least heat. If you’re worried that such a colour may cause aesthetic issues, drapes might be an additional thing you want to buy to make things more stylish, however, this is not recommended if you’re trying to save money.
Roller and panel blinds
Blockout blinds are another great method in reducing the incoming solar heat to your home.
These blinds are great not only as a means to block heat, but are great if you want complete privacy as they don’t allow any heat to come through from outside. This is the reason why they’re the most popular choice for day night blinds in bedrooms as well.
They can be a great alternative for those that want not only extra insulation from the heat, but more privacy as well. Again like with shades, it’s best to mount them as close to the windows as possible in order to reach maximum effect.
The downside for them can be that, in order to completely insulate your home from heat, you’ll also have to keep the blinds shut for most of the day. This is not ideal if you want sunlight.
External shades
Another insulation tactic could be to simply place shades outside of your window. While the basic operation is rather simple, you might want to hire a professional for this since some things can be quite tricky if you have zero experience with similar jobs.
A simple fix, might be adding some plants around the window from the outside. As plants lose vapour, they will tend to cool the air around them.
Anyway, consider the help of a professional by all means.
Window film
Plastic film may be purchased and used as a means for covering windows as well. Attaching it to the middle part of the window will help create a small air space which will act as an insulator for incoming heat.
Again, this isn’t a method which solves everything, however, if you use enough of the material, you can create a pretty neat shield from the incoming sun shine, without losing light incoming.
At the end of the day, all of these methods described can help reduce heat in their own way, however, none of them are a means to stop the heat 100 percent. Roller blinds for example, might the perfect cover everything inside, however, they won’t stop the heat outside. And this happens vice versa for other methods.
The best solution
The best solution for your insulation problems would be to combine multiple methods at the same time. Just think about it. You can combine roller shades which are great at night and covering windows from the inside, with something like a window tint to create an air pocket for the incoming heat. This way, you will find the best solution for your home.
All in all
In this article, we’ve talked about the best solution to reduce heat coming in from the outside. It could be said, that there are quite a few solutions out there to solve this problem, however, none of them single handedly are good enough to solve the problem. Its best to combine a few methods and find the right balance to get rid of the heat for good. You may also want to consider the help of a pro, if you’re struggling.
Prepared with the help of: blinds-2you.co.uk
