On a hot summer day, moving into the shade feels amazing; the same logic applies to your home. Window treatments can "shade" your home to prevent the sunshine from overheating your home and forcing you to blast your air conditioner, wasting energy. Up to half of a home's heating and cooling can be lost through windows. With Coastal Homeworks’ automated window treatments, you can lower your reliance on air conditioning to maintain a comfortable temperature throughout your home. Here is Coastal Homeworks' guide to automated shades that keep your home cool for the summer.
Insulated Cellular Shades
Insulated cellular shades are particularly effective in hot weather due to their honeycomb-layered design that folds like an accordion. These shades can reduce unwanted solar heat through windows by up to 60% when tightly installed. Schedule your cellular shades to open in the cool mornings and evenings and close for the heat of the midday and afternoon, with a seasonally optimized schedule that maximizes the comfort of your home. That means you can enjoy the morning light as you get ready for work, with no need to remember to close the blinds before you leave the house. And when you return home, your automated shades will unfold so the final hours of daylight can light up your home.
Roller Shades
Roller shades are the ideal option for homeowners who prefer a sleek and simple design that blends into the rest of your home's décor. Roller shades also tend to cost less than other shades without sacrificing their light-blocking abilities. On days you are home, you can use a schedule for your blinds that align with the placement of the sun and the direction your windows face. For example, when the sun rises in the east, your west-facing windows can be fully exposed to the light, but at sunset, those blinds are closed to prevent an overload of heat and light streaming into your home. For more efficiency, it’s easy to switch between shade schedules with the touch of a button on your tablet or a voice command to your home assistant.
Woven Woods
Nearly all woven wood shades can be paired with a remote or smartphone for motorization. Made of natural materials like bamboo, reeds, and linen, this eco-friendly option can fit nearly any window width or height. Optional blackout liners provide extra privacy and cool darkness for days you want to sleep late. Woven shades also block 100% of UVA and UVB rays from the sun, which fade and damage your artwork and furniture over time. Motorizing window treatments are especially useful for woven wood shades, which are heavier than other types of shades. Family members who can't reach a high window without the use of a ladder will be able to control automated shades at will through smart assistants like Alexa and Google. The lack of a cord on automated shades also eliminates the strangulation risk for babies and pets who may become entangled in traditional long cords.
Vertical Drapery Tracks
Vertical drapery tracks are an elegant alternative to a traditional window treatment. New motorized systems easily pull the drapery up and out of the way. Vertical blinds are the best option for providing the most privacy without sacrificing light, with custom blinds that give homeowners more range in deciding how insulating they want the fabric to be. Depending on the material and tightness of installation, your vertical drapery can efficiently trap heat outside in the summertime and inside during the winter. You'll find that you can save significantly on your energy bills when your shades are doing more of the work of keeping the heat where you want it.
Roman Shades
Roman shades are growing in popularity as a window treatment in modern households due to their ease of use and aesthetic. This style of window treatment is known for being energy efficient. Compared to other kinds of shades, they offer precise temperature control and, depending on the material, you can block out sunlight entirely. The best roman shades are insulated with thermal acrylic foam, which is ideal for maintaining the temperature within your home's interior and can be cut to the ideal size. However, homeowners are free to select between a wide range of colors and materials for their ideal style of shades.
No matter what style of window treatment you opt for, Coastal Homeworks offers a range of automated and motorized shades that are an effective energy management solution that keeps your home cool even on the hottest summer days. Whether you have questions about our different range of styles or are ready to bring automated shading solutions to your household, contact us today to get started!
