Beating the Heat with Window Coverings

Last week the heat was incredible in the Pacific Northwest. We broke the all-time heat record in Seattle,hitting 103 degrees and then further north in Bellingham, close to my home, with a whopping 96 degrees by the water.

I'm thankful for all the clients I have in this economy, so I am grateful to be able to have installs to do. In this heat, though, I am doubly thankful that I have a great installer, so I can just assist and watch him do all the hard work. Last week was tough! It really did point to the importance of window coverings for lowering the temperature in the home.

One of the last installs of the day was in Lynden, WA, a quaint little farming town close to the Canadian border. The windows we were covering were mostly west facing, directly in the full force of the setting evening sun. It was brutal! A large picture window in the living room, as well as a number of windows in the dining room, were no match for the enormous amount of heat radiating in from the sun.

It took only a few minutes for my installer to put up brackets spanning the width of the large window and install the beautiful Graber Traditions 2" Wood Blind in a Peru color, complete with a decorative wood valance. The relief from the heat was immediate! Then the next three window blinds were installed. Wow! What a tremendous difference that made!

There were other choices the homeowner could have made that were even more energy-efficient; however, these blinds suited her style, her budget and her home. Graber has a great article about Energy Efficient Window Treatments. When I go out to visit clients, I carry charts comparing the energy efficiency of various window coverings so we can choose the best option for a particular window.

There's no reason an uncovered window has to add to the misery of a hot house in a heat wave. Adding a window covering to that bare opening will lower the temperature in your home, protect your furniture and carpeting from UV radiation, and add beauty and style to the interior of your home.