Keeping Warm (and Cool) by Using Curtains
Here’s a relatively simple frugal tip. Curtains are used not only to block the light, but also to stop airflow in and out of improperly insulated windows. Keeping that in mind,
- In the winter, keep your curtains open during the day to let the sunlight in and heat the house. Close them at dark to keep the heat from escaping outside.
- In the summer, keep your curtains closed during the day to block the hot sun and keep the house cool. Open them at night (along with your windows if you’re not using A/C) to let the house air out.
The un-frugal part of this tip is that you have to either go buy the curtains or get the material to sew your own. However, if you’re not too concerned with finding just the right pattern, you can find used curtains or fabric for very low cost at thrift stores and yard sales.
In our case, we decided to hang a colorful wool blanket over our double window and a fleece blanket over our single window in the room we occupy most of the day when we’re home. Luckily these windows are in the back of the house, so we won’t worry about neighbors complaining. We have blinds anyway, so they block the view of the blanket anyway. Next year we’ll become grown-ups and buy or sew real curtains.
That’s exactly what I do with my blinds, and now keep them open all day to let the sun in. It helps, but I am wondering if they will have the same cooling affect as real curtains when it gets to summer.
“The un-frugal part of this tip is that you have to either go buy the curtains or get the material to sew your own.”
Our you can get super lucky and have them given as a gift like I did:
http://www.thehappyrock.com/2008/12/21/christmas-came-early-for-the-debt-destroyer-household/
We got our blinds from blinds to go. It cost 800 dollars for a 4 panel system for our patio door and 2 horizontal roller blinds. This was a really good price for custom made blinds. The girl we dealt with was really good too. I was completely satisfied with the service and the price
We have been in our house for 4 years and have yet to get any curtains 🙁
I do know their benefits but it is an expense, especially if you want to have ones that will truly block out the light when they are closed (for bedroom and for the window across from the TV).
I’ll add it to the list of things that I need…
I have yet to actually do this tip, yet I know it would help with the bills. The trouble for me is that I have three or four windows and a sliding glass door to measure and buy for. I’ve really just been lazy about it.
However, during the day, I open my blinds to let the sun in and then close them at night. I find opening them and letting the sun in does a great job of warming up the place, but closing them doesn’t really help cool things off. I don’t know, maybe it’s just because my side of the building faces the sun, but my apartment is fairly warm.
Curtains are key to frugal heating/cooling. Open shades/curtains are really helpful at our home during the winter to help pump up the temperature inside. It does allow for less use of the heater.
Great post.