You are still waiting for the perfect morning out on the deck. The new deck was finished and the new patio furniture arrived while you were out of town last week, and while your daughter was able to sit our on the deck and study, this week the weather has not been cooperative. The first two mornings when ou could have been out it rained; today it is too cold and windy. You know that the right weather will finally arrive, but you are getting impatient. In the meantime, you are working on some other exterior improvements that will add to both he beauty and the value of your home.
Finding the right plantation shutters can add to the value of your home by increasing its curb appeal. When it comes to the interior of home, there are also many ways that you can dress up how windows look on the inside. From shutters and valances to roller shades and pleaded shades, there are many times that the window treatments can help make sure that your house looks exactly the way that you want.
When Was the Last Time You Made Any Updates to Your Home?
Whether you are considering plantation shutters for the outside of your home or an update to the interior window coverings, it is important to carefully consider the choices that are available. When home owners are making changes to the windows in their homes, they are also saving on the energy costs in a home. With the addition of black out shades, for example, it is important to know that you may also be able to create a much better sleeping situation.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the many ways that home owners can help create the best looking windows in your home, as well as add to the exterior beauty of a home by adding plantation shutters and other modifications to get THE PERFECT LOOK:
- The latest studies show that medium-colored draperies with white plastic backings can reduce heat gains by as much as 33%.
- Hanging roller shades on a single pane window can save up to $180 a year, according to the Attachments Energy Rating Council (AERC).
- Estimates indicate that typical shutters can be expected to last as long as 20 years.
- Putting up draperies in the winter, can reduce heat loss from a room up by as much as 10%.
- Every time you are ordering a window covering you are playing a role in the approximately 150 million to 225 million interior residential window coverings that are shipped in the U.S. every year.
- Roller shade fabric with a 5% rating will allow 5% of light in, blocking the other 95%. Blackout shades, in comparison, have a 0% rating, blocking out all the light.
- Following the latest trends in exterior improvements, many people are adding contrasting colored plantation shutters to their homes.
- Estimates indicate that cellular shades on a single pane window can save between $280 and $470 a year, according to the AERC.
- Controlling energy loss is one reason to pay attention to the windows and doors in a home. For instance, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, windows and doors account for approximately 33% of the total thermal loss in a home.
- The general rule when installing shades is to add two to three inches to the overall width of the shade to allow room for the needed mounting hardware.
- Looking for a way to change the appearance of a space, most home owners replace their window treatments every seven to eight years.
- One other reason for making a smart window covering choice is that even adding a cellular shade can increase a window’s R-value from 3.5 in a standard window to nearly 7.
- One of the ways that technology is boing used, automated window treatments are becoming more and more common. In fact, according to a 2016 Houzz survey, 2% of newly renovated homes now have “smart” blinds or curtains.
- Kids’ rooms can also benefit from black out shades to make sure that a child is getting the proper amount of sleep.
The weather will not always cooperate, but with the right kind fo window coverings you can block out the rainy or snowy conditions that you do not want to see.