White and beige living room with white polywood shutters above a white couch.

Energy Efficiency And R-Value Of Window Treatments In Clearwater

June 23, 2022

Energy efficiency should be a big want for your Clearwater window treatments. With an inefficient treatment, you may feel a draft due to heat loss, which leads to larger utility costs. To discover the most energy-efficient window coverings, you should to see their R-values.

But which window treatments have the biggest R-value in Clearwater?

How Can You Find A Window Treatment’s R-Value in Clearwater?

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your residence that plays a part with insulation -- from the walls to your windows -- gets an R-value. Those digits tells you how well an item hinders thermal energy from traveling through it. A bigger R-value tells you that the item is a more effective insulator.

But why should you care about a window treatment’s R-value in Clearwater? Well, because windows are one of the most common heat loss areas in the home. If you need to trap in the hot air during cooler months or keep your rooms comfortable in warmer weather, you will need a window covering with more insulation. A window treatment with a big R-value lets you keep your rooms at an optimal temperature.

Window Treatment R-value Rating Table

Every window treatment is not made equally, at least not when it comes to insulation. Though there may be a little variation from the material and quality between different makes and models, here’s what you’re probably to find when looking at different window treatments.

Window Covering	Average R-Value
Bare window	0.75 - 1
Mini-blinds	1.5 - 2
Window shades	2.5
Draperies	2 - 3
Hardwood Shutters	3 - 4
Cell Shades	4.5
Polywood® Plantation Shutters	>6

Source: R-values from Energy.gov and HouseLogic.

Remember, the larger the R-value the more efficient the window treatment. It should come as no surprise that cheap blinds, which use thin aluminum, give you almost no insulation when compared to a more substantial product, like faux-wood plantation shutters. That big span in R-value can result in a distinction of several degrees – enough to feel an influence on your decision to change the temperature and make your energy bills rise.

What Raises A Window Covering’s R-Value In Clearwater?

Light gray cellular shades inside a white and rustic styled living room.

A couple of things affect a window treatment’s R-value: construction and materials. To start with, treatments that have an ample amount of ways for heat to escape won’t own a large R-value. For example, blinds and curtains dangle down, letting air to leak out around the sides and bottom of the covering itself. However, interior shutters are custom-built snuggly around the window, keeping heat against the window’s glass when you shut the louvers.

Add that with the materials the window treatment is constructed with can also bring a significant bump in R-value. Take cellular shades, which are made with several engineered layers of fabric designed to trap hot air. As a result, they should block temperature flow more effectively than treatments like pleated shades. Likewise, Polywood louvered shutters, made from a impenetrable faux wood polymer, can repel heat more than hard wood shutters. Polywood shutters also use seamless weatherstripping, which creates a air-tight seal on your window when the louvers and panels are shut.

Up Your House’s R-value In Clearwater

Does it feel like your house could be a bit more energy-efficient? How about installing durable Polywood shutters to up your R-value? Contact Sunburst Shutters Clearwater by dialing 813-580-7288 or complete the form below to book a free in-home consultation.

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