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

Energy Efficiency And R-Value Of Window Treatments In Orlando

June 23, 2022

Energy efficiency should be a large want for your window treatments in Orlando. With the wrong treatment, your windows could fall victim to damaging heat loss, which leads to bigger utility costs. To find the most energy-efficient window coverings, you should to see their R-values.

But which window treatments get the highest R-value in Orlando?

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

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your house that plays a part with insulation -- from drywall to windows -- is assigned an R-value. Those digits tells you how well an item prevents thermal energy from flowing through it. A larger R-value indicates a better insulator.

But why should you worry about a window treatment’s R-value in Orlando? It just so happens that windows are one of the most common areas of heat loss in the house. If you want to trap in the warm air during cooler months or keep your house cooler in summer, you have to have a window treatment with good insulation. A window covering with a big R-value lets you keep your house at the set temperature.

Window Covering R-value Rating Chart

Every window covering is not made with the same thickness, and therefore different window treatments have different r-values. Though there might be a little variation due to the material and build between different makes and models, here’s what you’re likely to find when comparing window treatments.

Window Covering	Average R-Value
No window treatment	0.75 - 1
Aluminum blinds	1.5 - 2
Shades	2.5
Drapes	2 - 3
Wood Shutters	3 - 4
Cellular 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 treatment helps insulate your home. It should come as no surprise that store-bought mini-blinds, usually made of thin aluminum, bring almost no protection when compared to a more solid product, like faux-wood shutters. That insurmountable difference in R-value can be seen in a distinction of several degrees – enough to feel an influence on your decision to crank up the temperature and increase your energy use.

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

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

A few variables affect a window treatment’s R-value: form and substance. First, coverings that have an ample amount of avenues for heat to escape will not have a substantial R-value. For instance, blinds and curtains don’t firmly cover the window, allowing air to escape around the sides of the covering. However, interior shutters are custom-made snuggly around the window, trapping air against the window’s glass when the louvers are completely shut.

Secondly, what the window treatment is constructed with can have a huge impact to insulation. Take cell shades, which feature several engineered layers of fabric designed to trap hot air. As a result, they should block air disbursement more efficiently than coverings like Roman shades. Likewise, Polywood louvered shutters, built from a impenetrable faux wood material, can repel heat loss more than more porous wood shutters. Polywood shutters also has weatherstripping, which results in a snug seal sound your windows when the panels and louvers are shut.

Up Your Home's R-value In Orlando

Does it feel like your house could be a little more comfortable? How about a change to durable Polywood shutters to up that R-value? Contact us at Sunburst Shutters Orlando by dialing 407-630-7011 or submitting the form below to get a no-cost in-home consultation.

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