When it comes to décor an unlikely suspect keeps coming up as a money saver for homeowners. Drapes not only help to keep the heat in, but they also preserve the color of your furniture and carpets. Blinds may be the in fashion for modern apartments and home because they are stylish and affordable, but with the cost savings to be had from curtains, the bigger investment in drapes may just be too hard to ignore.
Drapes Can Save you $200 A Month On Your Electric Bill
According to a report on the energy.gov website, if you draw your drapes closed then you will reduce heat loss by 10%.
You can further reduce heat loss by 25% if you use magnetic tape or Velcro to close the gaps between your drapes and the wall. That is some cost saving – especially if you have drapes in every room in the house.
When you are not using a room in your house in the day time, then close the drapes to keep the heat in – obviously having your drapes closed all day as we all need natural light to come into the house.
However, at night, there is little reason to have your drapes open. In order to get that huge 25% benefit, close all the drapes in your home and shut doors to rooms you are not using or not heating in order to keep the heat confined in the areas of your home, you are using.
Add the Velcro or magnetic tape into the equation and you could be saving yourself $100 to $200 per month on your electric bill.
Now if you do happen to prefer blinds, then why not have both? If you do not have an air conditioner for summer months, then blinds work very well. Blinds will not block the heat from leaving your home. That said, if you do use air conditioners, you will be amazed how well drapes will keep the hot air out and prevent cold air from leaving the rooms you are cooling down.
You can look to have custom drapes measured up so you get the perfect for your rooms that guarantee the heat will be locked in!
How Curtains Preserve Your Furniture and Floors
Another great asset that drapes posses is that they block sunlight. Now blackout blinds arguably do the same job cutting out UV rays, but some blinds do not. If you are not using a room during the day, then close the drapes. This will stop UV light from fading the colors of your furniture.
The key advantages to drapes here are when you have wood furniture or wood floors. Plus, those of you that have carpet will also benefit from drapes because the drapes will block the sunlight preventing it from fading the color of the carpet.
That said, you can tint your windows, and this will also block out UV, but most people do not invest in tint and would prefer to spend money decorating their rooms with attractive drapes.
Many hotels use drapes to stop their rooms fading. If you can imagine that a hotel has a life-cycle for all its furniture. By increasing the amount of time needed to replace faded and old furniture, the hotel increases its turnover. The same applies to you as a homeowner. You can stop the fade from UV and make your furniture, carpets, floors, and even make wallpaper last longer without the need for a refresh.
When it comes to preserving your home furniture and reducing energy bills curtain drapes are well worth the investment. Some people are put off by the price of a quality drape, but they end up paying dearly in the long run.
Blinds are a great option, but drapes are far more effective. Of course, drapes are also very attractive with several design options available to you such as pinch pleat curtains. They are also homely and perfect if you want to block out that morning light blacking out the room to prolong your sleep helping you stay fresh throughout the day.
