With temperatures soaring through Europe many people are considering multiple measures to keep their homes cool. Shutting the windows to keep the cool air in and closing curtains and blinds can be an effective and simple way to do this.
Digital Journal heard from Unbeatable Blinds with some advice on house cooling. One idea is switching from regular blinds or curtains to thermal blinds or curtains. This can reduce the amount of heat entering a home by up to 75 percent. The use of such window blockers can also reduce heating bills during winter.
This may seem counterintuitive given that thermal blinds tend to be associated with warmth. However, thermal blinds can be effective in the warmer, summer months as they can reflect heat and sunlight, preventing a space from becoming uncomfortably warm.
Opening windows is a common way people try to cool buildings. Yet air inside will be just as hot as outside. According to Science Alert, the best way to keep the heat out is with good insulation and well-positioned windows.
This approach is supported by Dr Ana Souto, a principal lecturer at Nottingham Trent University’s school of architecture, design and built environment. According to The Guardian, her real expertise on keeping cool comes from the fact that she is Spanish. “Close everything,” she advises. “You can open the windows late in the evening and early in the morning – until 9am or so – when it’s cool, but otherwise keep them closed. My place is like a cave, but it works.”
For when the time is right to open windows, keeping windows facing the direction of the wind helps cool down rooms with the breeze. In addition, having two windows on two opposite walls helps this even further, as there is a constant flow of wind in the room, reducing the time for hot air to linger.
In terms of design, aluminium coated blinds with honeycomb pockets are effective at regulating temperature as they trap air inside. This creates a thermal barrier between the window and your home, reducing heat loss. In the summer months, the aluminium coating helps to reflect sunlight.
To work effectively, thermal blinds should be fitted close to a window and are fitted within the recess as they prevent draughts. For blinds to be most effective, they should be fully closed as any gaps will compromise their efficiency.
In addition, to aid trying to sleep during the summer months, blinds cool down the temperatures in a home by blocking out intense sun rays and warm air and they help to block out light and sound. Noise reducing blinds can aid those who live within a busy environment.
