February presented with beautiful weather. For ten days at the beginning of the month it was wonderfully spring-like, and I was beginning to wonder if winter was over. But we're back to frigid temps, sleet, and snow again. Good thing I wasn't tempted to start on my outdoor garden plans! (Well, I was, but experience prevailed).
Because we've had such long cold spells this year, I got to thinking about more ways to keep the cold out and the warm in. I've put up thermal curtains in several rooms, but our living room and kitchen have remained curtainless.
Not hanging curtains or drapes is a fairly common style nowadays. For some people it's just mini-blinds for privacy. But I've seen a lot of windows with no covering. One neighbor across the street is like that and their next door neighbor only has mini-blinds that she leaves partly open all the time. On the one hand, the extra light is lovely, but on the other, even energy star windows leak energy; just more slowly. My mission this winter is better insulation for our windows.
I started with the bay window in the living room.
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Photo was taken right after we finished the living room and before
we put the furniture back in. It's looked like this since summer 2015. |
Dan built it when we replaced the old living room windows. We both love it, but this winter I thought it might be a good idea to cover it at night to help keep the living room warmer. To do that, I found these really nice thermal curtains on Amazon.
These have made a difference! So much better than the thermal curtains I got at WalMart. These are thick and the fabric is lovely. Good price with lots of colors to choose from. I can definitely feel it's cooler in the bay window behind them. Highly recommended.
The front door was next. Even though it's insulated and energy-star rated, it's still colder to touch than the walls when it's frigid outside. But then it's steel! (And metal is not an insulator.)
My idea for the front door came from observing background details in movies and programs taking place in early to mid-20th century Britain. I noticed that they used curtains to cover doors.
It covers the entire door including the floor, where draft leaks are notorious.
And it's easy to push it aside to open the door. On sunny winter afternoons, we open the door to take advantage of the late day solar warmth that the storm door lets in.
For now, I'm using one of the summer curtain from the bay window, but I'll replace it with
the same brand as the thermals for the bay window. Actually, I'm thinking I will gradually replace all of my current thermal curtains with these. They'll also be useful in summer to help keep the sun's heat out. Even so, the lighter weight curtain is helping for now.
The other room I wanted to address was the kitchen. In the morning, the kitchen is the coldest room in the house, until we get the wood cookstove going. Neither of those windows had more than lacy curtains for the look.
While I love having the natural light, I realized they were why the kitchen is always chillier in the morning than the rest of the house, even after
replacing the windows. The curtains I put up were made for different windows, but they definitely help.
When the sun hits that sink window, I open the curtain and let in the light and solar warmth.
I admit that these steps make the house darker, and that I miss the natural light. But then I ask myself, which takes more energy, heating the house or turning on a couple of light bulbs? Every little bit helps.
Anyone else taking steps to make their home warmer this winter? I'd love to hear your ideas.
24 comments:
Yup, I have always used thermal curtains on my windows. And they work both ways, to keep the heat in and the solar gain in the summer out. Plus, I have always worked either second or third shift, so a dark bedroom was a must-have.
My one pet peeve in window coverings is mini-blinds. I think they look tacky and are dust collectors.
Judy, mini-blinds are indeed dust collectors. And not all that easy to clean!
This winter, I've added door sweeps on pantry doors that connect to an unheated space, which has made a difference. I've got wood blinds on most of my windows, which are larger than mini-blinds, but still hard to clean. You've got me pondering curtains.
Laurie, door sweeps is a really good idea. Our pantry door could certainly use them.
When I was a kid, my mom changed the window treatment with the season. So we had summer curtains and winter curtains. Wood blinds are nice, but not very thermal. You could just add some thermal curtains for winter. I will probably change out some of our curtains in summer, except the thermals would help against the summer heat as well as the winter cold.
I have curtains everywhere, and at the front door. My winter door curtain is red felt, long enough to pool on the floor, and the summer one is a cheerful green and white stripe canvas which blocks heat.
I'm thinking of thermal curtains too, but need to save up. They'd be great in summer heat.
Well, I live in Florida so we don't really have these issues. But in the summer we keep all our blinds drawn and curtains, if we have them. OR at least I do. It helps keep the heat out and cool in, but it is still hot and we have horrible humidity! Yuck.
Except for the five windows facing the street out front, we have nary a window covering or treatment on any of the other windows in the house. I guess I have just accepted that the price of the views and the natural light are worth the higher heating bills that we are left with. But saying that, I do try to maintain the seals around all the doors so that they are in good shape and have replaced them on occasion to do what I can to reduce heat loss in winter.
Boud, felt is a really good idea. And I like the idea of winter and summer options. Heat blocking is as important as keeping out the cold.
I didn't realize there was such a difference in the quality of thermal curtains. I thought I was doing well with the first ones I bought, but now they seem downright flimsy in comparison to the new ones.
Barbara, I lived in Florida once upon a time, so I know what you mean! Keeping the heat out helps, but humidity is another issue.
Ed, maintaining and replacing door seals as needed is a good tip.
Window coverings are one of those things we each have to weigh the options for and choose accordingly. Of course, you are fairly rural and have lovely views. What puzzles me are folk who live on busy streets that leave windows uncovered. But it's their choice!
We have lots of big windows and skylights. We have plantation style window coverings on the windows and vertical blinds on the glass doors. Also honeycomb blinds on some windows. It makes a huge difference at night keeping out the cold when we close all of them. Can't do anything about the skylights right now. Conversely, like Leigh, we open those blinds up wide during the sunny days and after about 10 am our heat does not come on the rest of the day, thanks to the transferred heat. In summer, thanks to the change in location of the sun, we don't have to close the blinds so much.
Like Ed, we have forgone curtains in most of the house. I do have honeycomb blinds in two big east-facing great room windows; closing them for summer mornings helps a little with the solar gain.
Sue, it sounds like your house was well oriented. That'a a big plus. I used to love our skylights, but you're right that it's difficult to prevent energy transfer with them.
Michelle, I'm not familiar with honeycomb blinds, but they sound like something to look in to. Our house is so old, though, and originally had no insulation. Later on they had it blown in, but some spots (like under windows) never got insulated. Dan beefed up the insulation when he changed the windows.
I like the idea of a curtain for the door. Like you, I know even insulated outside doors still leak, you just can't get enough seal to stop the in-draft. Heat seeks cold, basic thermodynamics and when heat escapes, cold comes into to replace the outgoing air. I too insist on metal outside doors for durability and safety. I have thermal drapes in my apartment, they do save money! I have a door leading to my patio that has the blinds on the interior between the two glass panes and it is always cold. When it is cold and rainy I don't go out there and beside they have concentration camp LED outside lamps and it shines in a night. A way to cut that off! I am going to find long enough thermal drape to cover that.
Leigh, like you we have put up curtains at the doors, the living room, and our bedroom (our bedroom partially to keep out the light as well). They do make a difference! We need to get more effective curtains for the other bedroom (which, to be fair, is really the rabbits' room) to complete the process.
Other than the curtains and installing foam inserts in the electrical sockets and light covers, I do not know there is much more we can do as it is an apartment.
Kevin, check out that Amazon link in the post. That brand offers a wide range of sizes, including super long drapes for doors and windows. I would definitely want to cover all doors and windows.
TB, I forgot about foam inserts for the electrical sockets! I think I have done a few, but I should check the rest of them and take action. Every little bit helps!
Great ideas! We have thermal curtains on all our windows, except a small kitchen one. Helps a lot! Works great in the summer too when the sun hits the glass and it's hot out. Easy to wash and just re-hang wet, dries nice. Great idea covering the doors also!
That means thermal curtains are easier to take care of than dry-clean-only drapes! Can't argue with that. I'm looking forward to seeing how well they help in summer too.
We have heavyish curtains on the two picture windows, but the rest are either curtain free or have ancient mini-blinds. They keep the evening drafts out of the main part of the house. We have window awnings that we lower in the late spring, which help keep the house cool, which work unexpectedly well.
Nina, I would love to have awnings, but Dan doesn't like them. Summer sun on the west facing side of our house is terrible, so I'm thinking of trying to install some trellises for growing leafy vines.
When hubby retired he took over my office which I had already put thermal curtains over that massive arch window. I got moved to the kitchen and it has just blinds. So I purchased some thermal curtains to put up over the sliding glass door that is behind me. It makes such a difference. I even took a curtain panel and shortened it so that when we open the door for the dog, the top half of the doorway is still covered.
Renee, good to hear from you! I think over large windows and sliding glass doors thermal curtains are a must. Nice to hear how well they've worked for you.
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