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

Energy Efficiency And R-Value Of Window Treatments In Bakersfield

June 23, 2022

Energy efficiency should be a large need for your window treatments in Bakersfield. With an inefficient choice, your windows could suffer from damaging heat loss, which may lead to higher utility bills. To find the best energy-efficient window coverings, you need to find out their R-values.

But what window treatments have the highest R-value in Bakersfield?

What Is A Window Treatment’s R-Value in Bakersfield?

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your house that plays a part with insulation -- from the walls to windows -- gets an R-value. That number lets you know how well an item hinders thermal energy from going through it. A higher R-value indicates a better insulator.

But why care about a window treatment’s R-value in Bakersfield? It just so happens that your windows are one of the most common areas of heat loss in the house. If you want to keep in the warm air during wintertime or keep your home cooler in warmer weather, you have to have a window covering with more insulation. A window covering with a high R-value lets you keep your rooms at your preferred setting.

Window Treatment R-value Table

Every window covering is not made with the same care, at least not when it comes to insulation. Though there might be a little variation from the building material and craftsmanship between different models and companies, the following chart shows what you’re going to see when contrasting window coverings.

Window Covering	Average R-Value
Only glass	0.75 - 1
Mini-blinds	1.5 - 2
Shades	2.5
Drapes	2 - 3
Wood Shutters	3 - 4
Cellular Shades	4.5
Polywood® Plantation Shutters	>6

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

Keep in mind, the bigger the R-value the more efficient the window treatment. No surprise that store-bought mini-blinds, which are made with inefficient aluminum, give you almost no energy-saving value compared to a more solid covering, like Polywood shutters. That insurmountable span in R-value can be seen in a distinction of several degrees – enough to make an impact on your decision to crank up the temperature and waste money or not.

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

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

A few variables affect a window treatment’s R-value: build and substance. First, treatments that have an ample amount of paths for heat to escape won’t own a substantial R-value. For example, blinds don’t firmly cover the window, allowing hot air to escape around the sides of the covering. On the other hand, interior shutters are custom-crafted snuggly around the window, trapping air against the window when the louvers are shut.

Then what the product is made out of can also bring a huge impact to insulation. Take cellular shades, which are made with overlapping layers of fabric which make “cells” to trap heat. As a result, they will hinder temperature loss more effectively than treatments like Roman shades. Likewise, Polywood louvered shutters, made from a solid faux wood polymer, can block heat loss more than natural wood shutters. Polywood shutters also employs seamless weatherstripping, which makes a snug seal when the panels and louvers are shut.

Increase Your Window’s R-value In Bakersfield

Do you feel like your house could be a tad bit more energy-efficient? How about a change to Polywood shutters to raise your R-value? Contact Sunburst Shutters Bakersfield by calling 661-449-1092 or submit the form below to book a no-cost in-home consultation.

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