White and beige living room with white polywood shutters above a white couch.

Energy Efficiency And R-Value Of Window Treatments In Atlanta

June 23, 2022

Energy conservation can be a big need for your window treatments in Atlanta. With an inefficient treatment, you could feel a draft due to heat loss, which leads to bigger heating and cooling costs. To get the best energy-efficient window coverings, you need to see their R-values.

But which window treatments have the biggest R-value in Atlanta?

What’s A Window Treatment’s R-Value in Atlanta?

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your house that plays a part with insulation -- from siding to your windows -- is assigned an R-value. Those digits lets you know how well the item prevents thermal energy from going through it. A larger R-value tells you that the item is a more effective insulator.

So why should you care about a window treatment’s R-value in Atlanta? It just so happens that your windows are one of the most common areas of heat loss in the home. If you have to keep in the warm air during cooler months or keep your house cooler in the warm times, you need a window covering with more insulation. A window covering with a big R-value allows you to keep your rooms at an optimal setting.

Window Treatment R-value Comparison Chart

Every window treatment is not created with the same thickness, which plays a large part in insulation. Though there may be a bit of variation from the materials and build between makes and models, the following chart shows what you’re probably to find when contrasting window coverings.

Window Covering	Average R-Value
No window treatment	0.75 - 1
Aluminum blinds	1.5 - 2
Shades	2.5
Drapes	2 - 3
Hardwood Shutters	3 - 4
Cellular Shades	4.5
Polywood® Plantation Shutters	>6

Source: R-values from Energy.gov and HouseLogic.

Remember, the higher the R-value number the more the window covering helps insulate your home. It shouldn’t be a shock that cheap blinds, usually made of inefficient aluminum, give you almost no protection when put up against a more substantial covering, like durable faux-wood interior shutters. That insurmountable span in R-value can show up in a difference of several degrees – enough to feel an impact on whether you crank up the temperature and waste money or not.

What Raises A Window Treatment’s R-Value In Atlanta?

Light gray cellular shades inside a white and rustic styled living room.

A couple of things affect a window covering's R-value: form and materials. To start with, coverings that have multiple avenues for heat to escape won’t own a substantial R-value. For example, blinds just hang there, letting heat to escape around the sides of the treatment. On the other hand, interior shutters are custom-made to fit around the window, trapping heat against the window when you shut the louvers.

Add that with what the product is constructed with can have a significant impact to insulation. Take honeycomb shades, which are made with overlapping layers of fabric that create “cells” to trap heat. As a result, they should stop temperature loss more efficiently than treatments like roller shades. Likewise, Polywood plantation shutters, made from a impenetrable faux wood material, can trap heat more than hard wood shutters. Polywood shutters also employs seamless weatherstripping, which creates a tight seal when the panels and louvers are completely shut.

Increase Your Window’s R-value In Atlanta

Does it seem like your house could be a bit cozier? How about a change to durable Polywood shutters to increase your R-value? Contact us at Sunburst Shutters Atlanta by dialing 404-962-8517 or submitting the form below for a free in-home consultation.

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