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

Energy Efficiency And R-Value Of Window Treatments In Virginia Beach

June 23, 2022

Energy conservation can be a big need for your Virginia Beach window treatments. With an inefficient choice, you have a better chance of heat loss through your windows, which can lead to higher heating and cooling bills. To get the most energy-efficient window coverings, you should to find out their R-values.

But what window treatments own the highest R-value in Virginia Beach?

How Can You Find A Window Treatment’s R-Value in Virginia Beach?

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your home that plays a part with insulation -- from siding to your windows -- gets an R-value. That rating represents how well the item stops thermal energy from going through it. A bigger R-value tells you that the item is a more efficient insulator.

But why should you care about a window treatment’s R-value in Virginia Beach? It just so happens that your windows are one of the most common areas of heat loss in the home. If you want to trap in the hot air during the cold seasons or keep your home comfortable in the warm times, you need a window covering with more insulation. A window treatment with a big R-value lets you keep your home at your preferred temperature.

Window Treatment R-value Rating Table

Every window covering is not made equally, and therefore different coverings have different r-values. Though there can be a little variation with the material and build between models and companies, here’s what you’re probably to see when looking at different window coverings.

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
Cellular Shades	4.5
Polywood® Plantation Shutters	>6

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

Remember, the bigger the R-value the more energy-efficient the window covering. No surprise that store-bought mini-blinds, which are made with inefficient aluminum, give you almost no energy-saving value when put up against a more substantial covering, like durable faux-wood plantation shutters. That big span in R-value can show up in a variance of several degrees – enough to feel an influence on if you change the temperature and increase your energy use.

What Contributes To A Window Covering’s R-Value In Virginia Beach?

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

Two variables affect a window treatment’s R-value: construction and substance. To start with, treatments that have multiple ways for heat to escape will not have a effective R-value. For instance, curtains and blinds don’t firmly cover the window, allowing heat to leak out around the sides and bottom of the treatment. However, interior shutters are custom-crafted around the window opening, which traps heat against the window’s glass when you shut the louvers.

Then what materials the window treatment is constructed with can have a huge bump in R-value. Take honeycomb shades, which use several engineered layers of fabric designed to trap hot air. As a result, they should hinder air flow more efficiently than coverings like roller shades. Likewise, Polywood plantation shutters, built from a solid faux wood polymer, can repel heat loss more than natural wood shutters. Polywood shutters also use seamless weatherstripping, which results in a air-tight seal when the louvers and panels are shut.

Increase Your House’s R-value In Virginia Beach

Do you feel like your house could be a tad bit more energy-efficient? How about changing to quality faux-wood shutters to raise your R-value? Contact us at Sunburst Shutters Virginia Beach by calling 757-210-6448 or submitting the form below for a free in-home consultation.

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