Best Summer Window Treatments for a Cool Home

Best Window Treatments for a Cooler Home This Summer

High summer temperatures mean a warmer house, searching for cooling solutions, and eventually paying high bills.

But what if you could incorporate a few energy-efficient solutions in your home that would drop the temperature, and you wouldn’t have to look for expensive solutions?

Window treatment is your ultimate answer, which significantly reduces the house temperature.

Here, you can find the best window treatments for your home.

Cellular Shades

Honeycomb or cellular shades are the top choices for a window treatment to keep your home cool during summer.

As the name suggests, it has a particular type of honeycomb design. This design traps air molecules, which act like a barrier and prevent heat from entering the room.

They come in different colors, so you can pick a black shade if you want to block light and heat.

Thermal Curtains

Adding a thermal curtain is another good choice for keeping your home cool during summer.

They have multiple layers with a foam core that acts as an insulating component and eventually blocks heat from entering the home.

Exterior Shutters

If you want something that cools down your home and provides aesthetic appeal, consider exterior shutters mounted on the window’s outside side.

Vinyl or aluminum shutters are good exterior shutters that also work well in rainy weather.

Moreover, they can be adjusted to your liking and the amount of light you want to enter your home, and they protect your home interior from harmful UV rays entering the windows.

Exterior Solar Screens

A Solar Screen is another exterior window treatment that effectively blocks heat and UV rays from entering the home.

It’s made from mesh-like fabric, which reflects heat, and the few particles that enter are absorbed.

This is a great option if you’re looking for a solution that stops heat but also allows ventilation.

Reflective Window Coatings

If you want your home to look modern and minimal without adding any heavy curtains or shades, you can choose these reflective window coatings.

These reflective coatings, which can be metallic or ceramic, are applied to the exterior side of the window and effectively block sun, infrared, and UV light.

By adding these coatings, you aren’t only blocking certain harmful rays but also protecting your furniture from fading. Moreover, they’re highly durable.

Window Films

While reflective window coatings are applied on the exterior of the windows, window films made of polyethylene terephthalate or thermoplastic polymer resin are applied inside the window.

These are effective at keeping your home cooler in summer. They’re great for UV protection and glare reduction.

Solar Shades

Solar shades are made from engineered fabric. They are not as effective as solar screens, but they do a good job of reducing heat.

They block heat due to their tightly woven fabric, but they let some of it pass through due to a perfect balance with loose enough fabric.

Moreover, they come in different types based on how tightly the fabric is woven, such as 1%, 3%, 5%, and 14%.

Awnings

Another exterior window treatment is an awning, making your home cool in summer.

They don’t let sunrays directly hit the windows. In fact, they save windows from letting the sunrays in and eventually reduce the heat.

Note: They work best for windows facing South and West, most towards the sun. For West-facing windows, they can save up to 77%.

Bamboo Shades

Bamboo shades are a good option for an effective and eco-friendly shade.

If you have bamboo plants in your backyard or home, these bamboo shades will increase the aesthetic appeal.

These shades block and scatter the sunlight, eventually decreasing heat, and are also durable.

Blackout Curtains

These blackout curtains are another popular and cost-effective choice for blocking heat, mainly light, and creating a cool environment.

A few other benefits you get are UV blockage and good soundproofing.

Roman Shades

Do you want something for your luxurious space that will not compromise style and block heat and light?

These shades aren’t only functional but also highly aesthetic. Roman shades’ neat pleats are easily folded and opened.

You can customize them according to your fabric choice, color, and patterns.

Venetian Blinds

These classic blinds that were specifically brought from Paris to Venice by Venetian traders are still a popular choice for people who like a traditional home appearance.

Even though they aren’t as powerful at blocking heat as cellular shades or thermal curtains, they’re still effective.

They have horizontal blades made of aluminum or faux wood that can be adjusted to your liking.

Light-Filtering Curtains

Light-filtering curtains are a good option if your home doesn’t experience excessive heat and light but does occasionally experience some.

These curtains are a good choice if you want your home to be bright and airy.

Note: If your home is exposed to scorching heat and rays, then these curtains wouldn’t work as well as the other options.

Best Flooring for Summer

Other than windows, the right kind of flooring can do wonders for your home in summer and other seasons.

This is partly because different flooring materials in your home act differently at different temperatures.

While some flooring materials have good thermal conductivity and insulation properties, others don’t.

Here are the best flooring suggestions for summer to keep your home cool.

Energy Efficient Decor

If you’re looking for something other than windows and flooring to keep your home cool but aren’t up for expensive solutions, then we’ve got you covered.

Here are some energy-efficient decor ideas to keep your home cool without breaking the bank.