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

Energy Efficiency And R-Value Of Window Treatments In Fort Myers

June 23, 2022

Energy conservation might be a big need for your windows. With the wrong treatment, you might feel a good deal of heat loss, which leads to bigger energy bills. To discover the best energy-efficient window coverings, you need to find out their R-values.

But what window treatments own the highest R-value in Fort Myers?

What’s A Window Treatment’s R-Value in Fort Myers?

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your home that promotes insulation -- from the walls to your windows -- gets an R-value. That number tells you how well an item prevents thermal energy from flowing through it. A larger R-value indicates a more effective insulator.

But why should you care about a window treatment’s R-value in Fort Myers? Well, because your windows are one of the most prevalent areas of heat loss in the home. If you need to keep in the hot air during the cold seasons or keep your home comfortable in warmer weather, you have to have a window covering with greater insulation. A window treatment with a large R-value allows you to keep your house at an optimal temperature.

Window Covering R-value Chart

Every window covering is not built with the same care, at least not when it comes to insulation. Though there can be a bit of variation due to the materials and craftsmanship between different models and companies, below is what you’re going to find when comparing window coverings.

Window Covering	Average R-Value
Bare window	0.75 - 1
Aluminum blinds	1.5 - 2
Window shades	2.5
Draperies	2 - 3
Real wood Shutters	3 - 4
Cell Shades	4.5
Polywood® Plantation Shutters	>6

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

Keep in mind, the larger the R-value number the more the window covering insulates your home. It should come as no surprise that store-bought mini-blinds, which are made with inefficient aluminum, offer almost no energy-saving value when compared to a more substantial covering, like durable faux-wood shutters. That large gap in R-value can result in a variance of several degrees – enough to make an influence on if you crank up the temperature and increase your energy use.

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

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

A few factors affect a window treatment’s R-value: form and substance. First, products that have lots of paths for heat to escape won’t get a large R-value. For instance, curtains and blinds dangle down, allowing heat to flow around the bottom and sides of the covering. On the other hand, interior shutters are custom-crafted snuggly around the window opening, trapping heat against the window’s glass when the louvers are completely shut.

Then what materials the covering is made out of can have a significant bump in R-value. Take cellular shades, which feature precisely positioned layers of fabric designed to trap hot air. As a result, they can block air disbursement more effectively than coverings like pleated shades. Likewise, our Polywood interior shutters, built from a impenetrable faux wood material, can block heat more than more porous wood shutters. Polywood shutters also employs weatherstripping, which creates a air-tight seal when the louvers and panels are completely shut.

Up Your House’s R-value In Fort Myers

Does it seem like your house could be a bit more energy-efficient? How about installing Polywood shutters to increase that R-value? Contact us today by dialing 239-208-6577 or submitting the form below to get your free in-home consultation.

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