As the weather drops in Autumn and Winter steadily approaches, it is the best time to look at thermal blinds to help keep your home warm in time for the cold weather.
Not only can thermal blinds insulate your home and keep it warmer, but by doing so they can save you plenty of money in heating costs. Thermal Blinds are a great option to consider with various benefits and multiple stylish options.
How Thermal Blinds Work
Thermal Blinds provide insulation on your windows allowing them to trap heat inside your home during colder weather. They do this by using a material specifically designed to reflect heat. This means that they can also help keep your home cooler in warm weather by reflecting heat coming from the outside and offering greater shade.
Most types of blackout fabric provide some level of thermal protection due to being a thicker material. Our Cellular Blind range uses a foil lining on the interior which provides a stronger thermal protection and would be recommended for this use.
Types of Blinds That Can Provide Insulation
All blinds provide some level of insulation since they create a barrier over your window. For more effective insulation a thermal material is used that is designed to be more effective at stopping heat from passing through it. We have two types of blinds that can be made with thermal material.
Cellular Thermal Blinds
Cellular Blinds are a type of fabric blind that uses hexagonal pleats to raise the blind into a compressed piece inside the headrail. This makes it a very subtle blind, well hidden when it is raised. Many of the blackout styles of fabric are also thermal and provide extra insulation. This means you can have not only regular Cellular thermal blinds but also perfect fit and motorised versions as well.
Roman Thermal Blinds
Roman Blinds provide a stylish, classic look. They are a fabric blind that can cover the window and then pull up into a lovely cascade fold. We have a range of materials that a Roman Blind can be made from, allowing for a variety of colours and styles to match your home’s décor.
The blackout materials are usually recommended for Roman Blinds and will provide some level of thermal protection. To increase this a bonded lining can be added as well which would provide a thicker insulation but make the blind heavier.
Different Styles
If you would prefer a different style of blind then this can be discussed with our Design Consultants during your home appointment. Using a blackout blind or a heavier material could still be an option for your blind of choice which would still offer some thermal protection.
Benefits of Using Thermal Blinds for Insulation
By using insulating blinds for your windows, you can block more heat from escaping out of your home. This allows your home to stay warmer and requires less heating. This means that not only will you be able to maintain a more comfortable temperature but you will also be able to reduce your heating costs by wasting less heat and therefore needing to use less.
In fact the British Blinds and Shutter Association funded research that found blinds can reduce heat loss through windows by up to 33%.
The amount of heat loss reduced will depend on your blind of choice so this can be a factor in deciding which style of blind to choose, along with the type that fits your style.
They will not just be useful in the winter however as blinds providing window insulation is an effective way to keep heat out during the warmer weather. This is because by allowing less heat to pass through your windows less heat will come from the warm weather and into your home, helping it stay cooler.
Do Thermal Blinds Really Work?
Yes! Thermal Blinds provide added insulation over your windows. A study by the British Blinds and Shutters Association found this reduced heat loss through the windows by up to 33%.
What is the Best Blind for Warmth?
Any Thermal Blind will help keep warm air from escaping out your windows. We would recommend certain fabrics in our Cellular and Roman styles.
Do Thermal Blinds Cause Condensation?
No. Thermal Blinds provide insulation but no extra heat. This means they do not create moisture which would cause condensation.
Do Thermal Blinds Work in a Conservatory?
Yes! Thermal Blinds can help in a conservatory that is too warm or too cold by trapping warm air in the cold weather and blocking out too much sun in the warmer weather.