By Jason Donlon, Millennium Blinds
If you have ever walked into a west-facing room on a Highveld afternoon in February you already know the problem. The sun pours in, the room turns into an oven and the air conditioner works overtime just to keep up. The good news is that the right window covering does a surprising amount of the heavy lifting before you ever touch a thermostat.
Why your windows are the weak point
Glass is a brilliant conductor. In summer it lets radiant heat straight into the room and in winter it lets your warmth escape. Treating the window itself is one of the most cost effective ways to keep a home comfortable, which is why the United States Department of Energy lists window coverings as a first line of defence against heat gain. You can read their overview on energy efficient window treatments.
Blockout rollers for the harsh windows
For bedrooms, media rooms and any window that catches the late afternoon sun a blockout roller blind is the workhorse. The dense fabric stops light and reflects a large share of the heat before it reaches the room. It also means you can actually see a screen during the day and sleep past sunrise in summer. Our made to measure roller blinds come in blockout, sunscreen and dual fabric options so you can match the fabric to the room rather than the other way around.
Honeycomb blinds for all day comfort
If you want the biggest drop in temperature swing then a honeycomb blind is hard to beat. The pleats trap a layer of still air against the glass, which slows heat coming in during summer and slows warmth leaving in winter. It is the same principle as double glazing but at a fraction of the cost and it works in both seasons. For north and west-facing living areas that you use all day this is often the smartest single upgrade you can make.
Small choices that make a big difference
Colour matters more than people expect. Lighter fabrics reflect more heat while darker fabrics absorb it, so a pale blockout on a hot window will usually run cooler than a charcoal one. Fit matters too. A blind mounted close to the glass with minimal gaps at the sides traps less hot air and performs far better than a loose off the shelf blind that leaves daylight leaking around the edges.
Get the fabric in your hands first
Fabric behaves differently in real light than it does on a screen. Before you commit it is worth ordering a few swatches so you can hold them against your own window and see how they filter the sun. You can request up to five through our swatch sample service and the small fee comes back to you as credit on your first blind order.
When you are ready to see pricing for your exact window, our online configurator lets you choose the fabric, enter your measurements and get a quote in a few clicks. A cooler home this summer really can start with the right blind.
