Energy-Efficient Window Treatments Can Reduce A/C Usage in Your Houston Home

Before summer’s heat begins to tax your A/C system, take a look at your windows. They may be heating up your home by amplifying the sun’s rays much like a greenhouse. You can reduce your A/C usage simply by using energy-efficient window treatments.

Incorporate some of these ideas into your home’s design scheme to enhance its aesthetics while boosting its energy efficiency:

• Draperies. Close draperies at windows that receive direct sun. If your medium-colored draperies also have a white plastic backing, they are capable of blocking up to 33 percent of the sun’s heat. Cornices and side-sealed draperies are effective ways to seal off incoming heat from windows.
• Blinds. When closed, interior blinds can prevent 45 percent of the sun’s incoming heat. When lowered and closed, exterior blinds offer a double measure of protection to help seal windows.
• Shades. Window shades are one of the most energy-efficient window treatments that work with your A/C system to help reduce heat gain. To maximize their benefits, use dual shades that have a heat-reflective white side and a heat-absorbing dark side.
• Shutters. Exterior shutters can be an enhancement to your home’s appearance while preventing the sun’s rays from entering your home. Interior shutters use louvers that you can easily adjust in individual rooms to compensate for different light and heat levels.
• Screens. Window screens can help diffuse the sun’s rays because of the mesh composition, particularly when installed on windows that have eastern and western exposures.
• Awnings. Contemporary awnings are made from synthetic materials, which are improvements over old canvas types. On windows that face south, awnings can reduce heat gain by up to 65 percent; on west-facing windows you can increase that efficiency up to 77 percent.

In the Houston and Galveston areas, the professionals at Davis Air Conditioning & Heating can explain how you can reduce your A/C usage through in a variety of ways, including energy-efficient window treatments.

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