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

Energy Efficiency And R-Value Of Window Treatments In Tampa

June 23, 2022

Energy efficiency can be a large requirement for your window treatments in Tampa. With the wrong choice, you could feel a draft due to heat loss, which may lead to higher heating and cooling bills. To discover the best energy-efficient window coverings, you need to see their R-values.

But what window treatments have the biggest R-value in Tampa?

What’s A Window Treatment’s R-Value in Tampa?

White polywood shutters in a white bedroom.

Everything in your home that contributes to insulation -- from the walls to windows -- gets an R-value. Those digits lets you know how well the object hinders thermal energy from going through it. A higher R-value indicates a more efficient insulator.

But why should you worry about a window treatment’s R-value in Tampa? Well, because windows are one of the most prevalent heat loss areas in the house. If you need to trap in the warm air during wintertime or keep your house cool in the warm times, you need a window covering with greater insulation. A window treatment with a large R-value lets you keep your house at the set temperature.

Window Covering R-value Rating Table

Every window covering is not built equally, and therefore different window treatments have different r-values. Though there may be a little variation due to the materials and build between companies and models, below is what you’re going to see when contrasting window treatments.

Window Covering	Average R-Value
Only glass	0.75 - 1
Mini-blinds	1.5 - 2
Window shades	2.5
Drapes	2 - 3
Real wood Shutters	3 - 4
Cellular Shades	4.5
Polywood® Plantation Shutters	>6

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

Remember, the bigger the R-value the more energy-efficient the window treatment. It should come as no surprise that store-bought mini-blinds, which use inefficient aluminum, bring almost no insulation compared to a more solid treatment, like Polywood shutters. That big difference in R-value can be seen in a distinction of several degrees – enough to feel an impact on if you change the thermostat and make your energy bills rise.

What Raises A Window Covering’s R-Value In Tampa?

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

Two factors affect a window covering's R-value: form and substance. To start with, coverings that have multiple avenues for heat loss will not have a large R-value. For example, blinds dangle down, letting heat to escape around the sides and bottom of the covering itself. However, interior shutters are custom-built snuggly around the window opening, trapping heat against the window’s glass when you shut the louvers.

Add that with what materials the covering is constructed with can also bring a big bump in R-value. Take cellular shades, which use overlapping layers of fabric that create “cells” to trap heat. As a result, they should stop air flow more effectively than products like Roman shades. Likewise, our Polywood louvered shutters, built from a solid faux wood material, can trap heat loss more than natural wood shutters. Polywood shutters also use weatherstripping, which creates a tight seal when the panels and louvers are shut.

Increase Your House’s R-value In Tampa

Does it seem like your house could be a bit cozier? How about installing durable Polywood shutters to increase your windows’ R-value? Contact us at Sunburst Shutters Tampa by dialing 813-580-7288 or complete the form below for a no-cost in-home consultation.

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