There are several ways to increase the energy efficiency of your home. A good place to start would be finding ways to reduce the amount of energy used to heat and cool your home. One of the things increasing your heating costs is drafts. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, they account for about $200 to $400 of your annual space heating bill. Fortunately, there are several ways to reduce drafts. For instance, you can choose the right type of drapery. Read on to find out more.
Efective Barrier Between Your Indoors and Outside Elements
Can your drapery reduce drafts in your home? Well, the short answer is yes. Drapery can be an effective barrier that prevents cold air from coming into your home. Depending on the material used, thickness, and the way they are hung, drapes can lower the energy loss through windows by up to 30%. You can get some added advantages of blocking light and noise as well. Furthermore, the majority of drapes are adjustable to control how much light you let into your home.
How Drapes Are Made to Reduce Drafts
Like curtains, drapes are also made from fabric panels. However, the fabric used for drapery is a lot thicker. It also cuts to floor length, and in some instances, it will puddle on the floor. The majority of drapes are made using very heavy fabrics like silk, damask, and velvet. Because of their fabric weight and longer length, drapers are pushed closer to windows than curtains. This leaves fewer gaps, and as you might imagine, this is what enables them to block out drafts. As an added advantage, this makes them more able to reduce noise and block out light than regular curtains.
Increased Energy Efficiency
When you have a lot of drafts, it increases the amount of work your heating system has to do to keep your home comfortable. As you might imagine, this means you end up using a lot of energy. Badly fitted window treatments using unsuitable materials can cause major energy losses during the colder months. Fortunately, with custom drapery, you won’t experience this problem. The only thing you need to ensure is that the draperies are lined properly. This reduces the amount of work your heating system has to do to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.
Even after you caulked and weather-stripped your windows, they can still be drafty. Fortunately, by adding the right window treatments, you can get a simple and cost-effective defense against the chills. The right drapes will help retain up to 30% of heat lost through your windows during the colder months. Get in touch with us for the best custom drapery, shades, and window treatments.