13 July 2022
 Categories: , Blog

When you have a home with a lot of windows, you often need to consider adding some window treatments like drapes, curtains, or blinds to help control the amount of light coming in. A home exposed to a lot of sun can get warmer inside than you want. The heat gain may cause the air conditioning system to work harder to maintain the temperature, but often installing something to reduce that light is all that is required. 

Heat Gain Through Light Intrusion

Homes with windows on the southern side and not much shade often deal with this in the summer months. While that additional free heat can be helpful in the winter, it can cause problems in the summer, so blocking some of the light out with window treatments is an excellent place to start. 

Traditionally, large drapes were used to block out the light, but if drapes are not your style, you may need another option. Adding a UV-blocking window film to the glass is one option that will allow the light to come in without the heat associated with the ultraviolet light. 

Window treatments like UV films are easy to put on the glass, and most people can do it in their spare time or hire a contractor if necessary. The films are available in many different colors and tints levels, so you can use one that is nearly unnoticeable if you like to reduce the heat and retain the look or style of the home. 

Blinds And Shades

Adding blinds or shades to your windows is often an effective window treatment that will help reduce heat transfer. However, they will also reduce the amount of light getting into the home, so for some people, they are not an option. If you are gone all day, and the house is dark inside, it may not be a big deal, but for people that are home, blocking all the natural light out can create a depressing environment that is not very comfortable to live in.

Using blinds that can be partially closed during the day may be a better alternative, and combining the blinds with a UV film could be the best solution. There are also some shades that are designed to let the light through but reflect the UV rays, and when they are in place, you can see through them so you can still enjoy the view outside your home and reduce the heat inside. 

Some manufacturers take that a step further and offer screens mounted inside the window that use similar treatments to reflect unwanted light and heat and can be tailored to your needs and light reduction level before they install them in your home. For more information on window treatments, contact a professional near you.