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

The R-Value Of Window Treatments And Shutters In Salt Lake City

June 23, 2022

Energy conservation might be a huge need for your windows. With a bad covering, your windows could fall victim to unacceptable heat loss, which leads to higher utility bills. To discover the most energy-efficient window coverings, you should to look at their R-values.

But what window treatments own the biggest R-value in Salt Lake City?

What’s A Window Treatment’s R-Value in Salt Lake City?

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your home that promotes insulation -- from siding to windows -- has an R-value. That number tells you how well an item prevents thermal energy from going through it. A bigger R-value tells you that the item is a better insulator.

But why care about a window treatment’s R-value in Salt Lake City? It just so happens that your windows are one of the biggest areas of heat loss in your home. If you want to trap in the hot air during the cold seasons or keep your home comfortable in the warm times, you need a window covering with good insulation. A window treatment with a high R-value lets you keep your rooms at the set temperature.

Window Treatment R-value Rating Table

Every window covering is not built equally, at least not when it comes to insulation. Though there may be a bit of variation due to the building material and quality between different companies and models, below is what you’re probably to find when comparing window treatments.

Window Covering	Average R-Value
No window treatment	0.75 - 1
Aluminum blinds	1.5 - 2
Window shades	2.5
Drapes	2 - 3
Real wood Shutters	3 - 4
Cell Shades	4.5
Polywood® Plantation Shutters	>6

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

Remember, the larger the R-value number the more the window treatment insulates your home. No surprise that cheap blinds, which use flimsy aluminum, give you almost no insulation when compared to a more solid product, like Polywood plantation shutters. That large gap in R-value can be seen in a variance of several degrees – enough to feel an influence on your decision to crank up the temperature and make your energy bills rise.

What Raises A Window Treatment’s R-Value In Salt Lake City?

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

A few variables affect a window covering's R-value: build and materials. First, products that have an ample amount of ways for heat loss won’t get a large R-value. For instance, blinds and curtains just hang there, letting air to leak out around the bottom and sides of the treatment. On the other hand, interior shutters are custom-crafted around the window opening, keeping heat against the window’s glass when you shut the louvers.

Then what the covering is constructed with can also bring a big bump in R-value. Take cellular shades, which feature several engineered layers of fabric that create “cells” to trap heat. As a result, they should block temperature disbursement more efficiently than treatments like pleated shades. Likewise, our Polywood louvered shutters, built from a impenetrable faux wood material, can repel heat loss more than hard wood shutters. Polywood shutters also employs weatherstripping, which creates a snug seal sound your windows when the louvers are shut.

Up Your Home's R-value In Salt Lake City

Does it seem like your home could be a bit cozier? How about a change to durable Polywood shutters to increase your R-value? Contact us today by calling 801-515-3598 or submit the form below for your no-cost in-home consultation.

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