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

Energy Efficiency And R-Value Of Window Treatments In Detroit

June 23, 2022

Energy conservation can be a large need for your Detroit window treatments. With a bad covering, your windows could have damaging heat loss, which may lead to larger energy costs. To find the most energy-efficient window treatments, you should to look at their R-values.

But which window treatments get the biggest R-value in Detroit?

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

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your home that contributes to insulation -- from drywall to windows -- has an R-value. Those digits lets you know how well the item stops thermal energy from going through it. A larger R-value indicates a better insulator.

So why care about a window treatment’s R-value in Detroit? It just so happens that your windows are one of the most prevalent areas of heat loss in your home. If you want to keep in the warm air during wintertime or keep your house cool in the warm times, you need a window treatment with greater insulation. A window covering with a large R-value allows you to keep your home at your preferred temperature.

Window Treatment R-value Comparison Chart

Every window treatment is not built with the same thickness, and therefore different coverings have different r-values. Though there might be a little variation from the material and quality between makes and models, below is what you’re going to find when contrasting window treatments.

Window Covering	Average R-Value
Bare window	0.75 - 1
Mini-blinds	1.5 - 2
Shades	2.5
Drapes	2 - 3
Hardwood Shutters	3 - 4
Cell Shades	4.5
Polywood® Plantation Shutters	>6

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

Remember, the bigger the R-value the more the window treatment insulates your home. It should come as no surprise that store-bought mini-blinds, which are made with thin aluminum, give you almost no insulation when put up against a more substantial covering, like faux-wood shutters. That insurmountable gap in R-value can show up in a variance of several degrees – enough to feel an impact on if you dial up the thermostat and make your energy bills rise.

What Are The Factors In A Window Covering’s R-Value In Detroit?

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

A couple of variables affect a window covering's R-value: build and substance. To start with, treatments that have an ample amount of paths for heat to escape won’t own a large R-value. For instance, blinds dangle down, letting heat to flow around the sides and bottom of the treatment. On the other hand, interior shutters are custom-crafted snuggly around the window, which traps heat against the window when the louvers are shut.

Then what materials the window treatment is constructed with can have a huge bump in R-value. Take cellular shades, which are made with overlapping layers of fabric which make “cells” to trap heat. As a result, they can hinder air disbursement more efficiently than coverings like Roman shades. Likewise, our Polywood louvered shutters, made from a durable faux wood material, can trap heat loss more than hard wood shutters. Polywood shutters also use weatherstripping, which makes a air-tight seal when the louvers and panels are completely shut.

Increase Your Home's R-value In Detroit

Does it seem like your home could be a tad bit more energy-efficient? How about a change to Polywood shutters to increase your windows’ R-value? Contact Sunburst Shutters Detroit by dialing 248-429-9294 or submitting the form below for a free in-home consultation.

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