Summer is just around the corner, heralding the onset of earlier mornings, warmer nights, and hot, humid days. Keeping the Queensland summer heat at bay often means cranking up the fans and air-conditioners. But this year’s soaring energy prices may leave you wondering if there isn’t a better option.
Luckily, there are some simple measures you can take to help your home stay naturally cool over summer. Natural or passive cooling can significantly reduce your energy usage, which spells good news for your hip pocket and the environment.
Good Quality Glazing Can Reduce Heat Gain
Did you know that up to 87 per cent of your home’s heat is gained through the windows alone? The right type of window glass can make a huge difference to your home’s summer temperatures and comfort levels.
If you’re renovating or building from scratch, it’s a perfect opportunity to consider investing in windows with a low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC). This is a measure of how much heat from sunlight flows directly through the window and into your home.
Other considerations include whether to go for single or double glazing, or to choose windows with a special coating – such as low emissivity glass – which can also help to minimise summer heat gain.
Block the Sun’s Heat with Quality Window Treatments
The right window furnishings can dramatically improve the performance of your windows without the cost of new glazing. Blinds crafted of thick fabrics have wonderful insulating properties, and work by trapping a layer of air next to the windows, creating a buffer that reduces heat flow.
Roller blinds are a simple yet elegant choice that can be highly effective at insulating your home from summer heat. Block-out roller blinds have the greatest effect on room temperatures, and are available in a vast array of plain and patterned fabric options to suit your home’s décor.
Roman blinds add a striking infusion of timeless beauty to traditional and contemporary interiors alike. Their flowing fabrics are customisable in a range of colours and offer excellent insulating properties to help your home stay cool.
If your tastes run to the more traditional, thick curtains are another great solution. Block-out and triple weave fabrics are the most effective insulators for year-round comfort, particularly when combined with pelmets.
Whichever style of window treatment you choose, lighter coloured fabrics work best to reflect solar heat and prevent it from entering your home.
Consider Your Home’s Exterior Colour Scheme
Colour matters when it comes to selecting your home’s external colour palette, too. Dark colours tend to absorb solar heat, whereas light colours reflect it. For the best cooling results in warmer climates, consider painting your facades in lighter shades.
Filter Harsh Light Without Sacrificing the View
If you don’t want to sacrifice your views for the sake of insulation, sheer curtains or blinds could be your perfect solution. Sheer fabrics can help to reduce the sun’s heat and glare throughout the day, while adding a layer of daytime privacy to your rooms.
Roller blinds are available in a transparent sunscreen fabric that is specifically suited to reducing solar glare and heat within your home. They allow filtered natural light inside without blocking your view of the outdoors, making them perfect for living rooms, bedrooms and offices.
Sheer curtains are a stylish way to diffuse summer sunlight while adding softness and ambience to your rooms. Sheers combine well with the heavier fabrics of block-out or triple weave curtains, which can provide you with additional options for fine-tuning the level of insulation and privacy in your home.
Create Shade Outside to Help Cool Your Home’s Interior
While quality window treatments are hugely helpful in reducing summer heat within your home, the most effective method is to stop the solar heat from entering your windows in the first place. This is where external awnings come into play.
Traditional awnings are a versatile and stylish addition to your home. Their close-fitting design offers a high level of privacy and sun protection during the summer months. When the weather cools down, or if you’d simply like more natural light in your home, the awnings can be discreetly rolled away.
Louvre awnings can deflect up to 90 per cent of the sun’s heat before it reaches your windows. This can create a huge reduction in your energy costs, with the added benefits of airflow, views to the outdoors and privacy when required.
If you’re considering new awnings, blinds or curtains this summer, we can help! Our comprehensive selections of high-quality window furnishings are all competitively priced, backed by generous warranties, and customised to fit your windows.
Simply give us a call on 1300 077 125 or get in touch online to book in your free measure and quote. We’ll bring our mobile showroom to you and help you select the perfect window treatments for blocking the Queensland summer heat and adding style to your home.
