Though modern life offers ways of heating and cooling that werenât always available, many people are looking for ways to control the climate of their home in a more cost-efficient manner. For some, thereâs an extremely simple solution: installing shutters in the home.
Particularly in the winter months, windows a especially single-pane windows a are a major source of heat loss, allowing interior warmth to escape while cold air enters. In the summer, windows allow sun to enter homes, which can increase the need for air conditioning and other cooling measures, which cost even more money.
Shutters reduce energy costs in several ways. With a well-insulating shutter, heat loss can be dramatically reduced. This lessens reliance on the thermostat, keeping homes warm without cranking up heating bills. Similarly, during warmer times of the year, shutters can be used to block excess sunlight that overheats homes.
In particular, a shutter with a high R-value, or ability to insulate, is a better choice for reducing heat loss and blocking excess heat. A high R-value shutter can increase the R-value of a window by two or three times. Certain shutters can even âupgradeâ a single-pane window to the equivalent of a double-pane window.
One great choice for insulation are interior shutters. As the name suggests, these are installed on an inside wall instead of on the exterior of a house, as is often typical. They are usually made of wood or other similar materials, and have slats that can be adjusted to expose or cover windows. This makes them particularly useful for blocking sun overexposure during the summer months, which keeps a home cooler without relying heavily on air conditioning or other forms of electric cooling. Because these shutters are not outside in the elements and don't suffer the damage of traditional shutters, they require relatively little maintenance.
Another thing to consider is that shutters can also reduce the reliance on artificial light. Certain types of shutters are perfect for adjusting light levels in a room while maintaining privacy for the inhabitants of the home. Less reliance on artificial light means, again, reduced energy costs.
Additionally, in certain countries, there may be tax benefits to installing shutters in the home, as they are an energy-saving measure. This, of course, depends upon the location and the type of shutters installed as well as other criteria, but it is another money-saving incentive.
All of these are relatively straightforward ways that installing shutters can be a money saver for homeowners. Since major amounts of heat escape in drafts surrounding windows, a simple fix is reinforcing the escape routes with extra insulation. This makes a home infinitely more energy-efficient as well as more comfortable after all, few people want to sit by a chilly window or in a baking patch of sunlight. With decreased reliance on energy-consuming forms of in-house climate control, simpler forms of insulation and saving money are within anyone's grasp.
Reference:www.usinghome.com