Close Those Curtains for a Cooler Summer

Thermopane windows changed everything. Before then, thin, single-paned glass in loose-fitting sashes let in hot air in summer and cold air in winter. Curtains or draperies, lined and interlined or thermal-backed, hung on every window to help keep the inside temperature as comfortable as possible.

Also known as insulated glass, thermopane touted two panes separated by a channel of trapped air, provided insulation like we’d never known. The result was architectural design with larger windows, more windows, and uncovered windows (if privacy wasn’t an issue.)  Nearly everyone is hungry for light, the more the better.

All glass today includes UV filters, just like sunscreen, to help keep light from fading textiles, art, books and other interior items. But the ultraviolet filter traps the infrared light inside the room, which can make it feel like a hot house.

Whether you have shades, shutters, blinds, curtains or draperies, keeping them closed on a hot summer day can lower your interior temperature as much as ten degrees. Yes, it will be darker, but more importantly, it will be cooler.

Most of us open those window treatments as part of our morning ritual, but especially if no one is at home during the day, it will be kinder on your budget to leave them closed. If you work from home, you can adjust the window covering as the sun moves to enhance the comfort of the room.

Curtains: they’re not just for decorating.  Blinds: they’re not just for privacy. Shutters: they’re not just handsome.  They’re COOL.

Rebecca Ewing Color & Design  404.285.9518

rebeccaewing@mac.com    rebecca@HandsOnHues.com   www.HandsOnHues.com