Boost energy efficiency at home with blackout shades

Between your budget and the drive to protect your home planet, you might be thinking more about energy efficiency. Maximizing that efficiency at home means you use fewer resources — while protecting a key resource of your own (namely, your money).

Good news. Improving your at-home energy efficiency doesn’t have to mean sweating through the summer or taking cold showers. You don’t necessarily have to cut back on things you enjoy or make your space less comfortable to grab efficiency gains. In fact, something you do to improve your life at home can help here.

With blackout shades, you don’t just get a better night’s sleep. You also get a way to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Your shades and your energy use

When you think about blackout window treatments, your mind probably goes to curtains. They certainly help, adding an insulating layer to your windows that can stabilize your interior temperature.

But curtains inevitably come with gaps. Getting that true blackout effect requires a lot of fussing. And if light can get in, heat or cold can get in, too.

Fortunately, there’s an alternative. With UBlockout shades, you get a window covering tailored to your specific window. Not only does that mean a true blackout effect (say hello to your best sleep), but it also means boosted energy efficiency. In fact, during the summer, UBlockout shades keep rooms 10 degrees cooler than standard roller shades.

If your AC bill was sky-high this summer, blackout shades can make a world of difference. Keep any sun-facing windows closed and you should see a dramatic improvement.

They don’t just prevent heat gain, either. Your blackout shades can also help in the winter. The U.S. Department of Energy says that roughly a third of a home’s heat gets lost through the windows. Having window coverings — especially something that covers every square inch of the window like roller shades — is a little like putting a jacket on your house.

Long story short, if you want to lower your energy bills year-round to keep more money in your pocket, add blackout shades to your windows. Over time, this investment can pay for itself.

Energy efficiency, the easy way

The key to unlocking this energy efficiency boost lies in adjusting your shades. Specifically, you need to adjust them to the sun.

If you’re trying to stay cozy this winter, open your shades when the sun is shining on that window. That will allow the heat from the sun to transfer into your house. Once the sun has moved, though, close that shade. That way, you’re keeping the heat you built up inside rather than letting the cold from outdoors come through your glass.

When you’re trying to keep your house cool in the summer, do the opposite. Keep shades closed whenever the sun is on that window. This doesn’t mean you have to live in darkness. Instead, open the shades on the shaded side of your house so you can enjoy some natural light without baking your house.

That all seems pretty obvious, right? But the U.S. Department of Energy reports that 75% of residential window coverings stay in the same position all the time.

We get it. You want to do your part. But sometimes you’re so comfy on the couch that getting up to make a change just isn’t in the cards. Or you might not even be home to make the proper adjustments when they’re needed.

We’ve got you covered. While we offer a manual version of our blackout shades, you could also choose a motorized option. And the latter can connect to your Google Home or Amazon Alexa system. That means you could raise or lower your shades without needing to lift a finger, making it easier to make the changes you need to boost energy efficiency throughout the day. And you could adjust your shades when you’re out of the house so you don’t come back to a place that’s freezing or roasting, too.

All this said, even manual blackout shades can go a long way toward boosting your energy efficiency at home. And not only does that mean you’re doing your part environmentally, but it also means you’ll be keeping more money in your pocket. Who doesn’t want lower energy bills year-round?