Duette® honeycomb shades from Hunter Douglas stop heat loss, may earn energy
tax credit
Just Right Blinds, Wheaton, IL . . . As the temperature drops to single digits and below, shivering homeowners learn the hard way that frosty window surfaces draw out lots of heat. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that indoor heat escaping through cold window glass accounts for 10 to 25 percent of home heating bills.
A cost effective and green solution is to install energy efficient window treatments with a high insulating R-value. R-value measures an item’s resistance to heat flow, so a high R-value window covering will keep heat inside, helping homeowners stay more comfortable without cranking up the thermostat.
“An R-value of 4.8 will more than double the energy efficiency of a double-glazed window, and will nearly quadruple the efficiency of a single pane of glass,” says Todd Zimmerman, owner of Just Right Blinds, a Hunter Douglas distributor in Wheaton, IL. “Hunter Douglas offers a 3-layer Duette honeycomb shade with a 4.8 R-value, making it one of the most energy efficient window coverings on the market. These shades have been shown to protect against heat passing through windows by as much as 76 percent.”
To understand how the Duette’s pleated honeycomb design holds in heat, picture the difference between a flat piece of fabric and a multi-layered, three-dimensional fold. That’s exactly what young architect and inventor Wendell Colson did while enduring a winter night in Massachusetts during the depths of the 1970’s energy crisis. “As I was shivering in bed, a double curtain came together in a folding pattern with a honeycomb-like configuration, capturing air between the folds,” says Colson, now Senior VP of Product Development for Hunter Douglas. “I saw this vertically, but I thought if we put it together horizontally you would have a highly energy-efficient treatment because air would literally be trapped in the honeycomb cells.”
Certain Hunter Douglas Duette honeycomb shades may also qualify for the federal energy tax credit of up to $1500. “Homeowners need to save their original product purchase receipts,” says Zimmerman of Just Right Blinds, “and go to the Hunter Douglas website for more information and manufacturer’s certification statements that they can provide for their tax professional.”
In addition to saving energy costs and providing a possible green tax credit, Hunter Douglas Duette shades are available in a wide variety of colors, fabrics and hardware options, as well as in single, double and triple honeycomb layers. Shades are anti-static, dust and stain resistant and virtually maintenance free, plus they are backed by a limited lifetime warranty. “You can make your home warmer this winter, save on heating costs, and enjoy a fashionable addition to your home décor,” says Zimmerman. “It’s a great package of benefits in a single product.”
Just Right Blinds provides free in-home consultation, free measurements and free installation for blinds and shutters. Call Todd Zimmerman at 630-292-3756 or visit www.JustRightBlinds.vpweb.com.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Window Covering Recall Gives Consumers Several Safety Options
Does your home have roman-style shades or roll-up blinds manufactured before 2001? If so, take special note of the voluntary recall of these products announced December 15 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Window Covering Safety Council. The industry-wide recall covers all pre-2001 blinds and shades whose pull cords can form a loop and accidentally strangle infants and young children. For a list of recalled blinds, go to the Consumer Products Safety Commission website, www.cpsc.gov.
Consumers can either retrofit their older window treatments to remove safety hazards, or they can replace them with today’s safer products, such as cordless blinds, says Todd Zimmerman, owner of Just Right Blinds and Shutters, a Hunter Douglas distributor in Wheaton, Illinois. Hunter Douglas products are not listed in the recall at www.cpsc.gov.
“Retrofit kits are free,” says Zimmerman. “You can request them online at www.windowcoverings.org, or call the Window Covering Safety Council’s toll-free number, 1-800-506-4636. You can use the free kits to eliminate looped pull cords on pre-1995 mini blinds and pleated shades, to install cord stops on pre-2001 horizontal blinds and corded shades, or to install tie-down devices on pre-1997 vertical blinds. Windowcoverings.org also offers step-by-step how-to videos for repairing all types of older blinds and shades.”
To more fully protect young children, the Window Covering Safety Council also recommends consumers follow safety guidelines, including:
Using only cordless window coverings in homes with infants and young children
Moving cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords
Keeping all window cords and inner lift cords out of children’s reach
Locking cords into position whenever blinds or shades are lowered
What if you decide to replace instead of retrofit your window coverings? “Today’s blinds and shades don’t include dangerous loops, even on regular corded products,” says Zimmerman. “But consumers also have several exciting new options to choose from, such as continuous cord, cordless, or convenient motorized blinds with remote control operation.”
For more information about the voluntary safety recall, free retrofit kits or new purchase options for blinds and shutters, contact Todd Zimmerman of Just Right Blinds and Shutters, 630-292-3756, or visit the company’s website at http://www.justrightblinds.vpweb.com
How to retrofit from Window Coverings Safety Council:
Install only cordless window coverings in young children’s bedrooms and sleeping areas. Owners and renters should replace all other window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today's safer products.
However, if you prefer to keep your older window treatments, the following instructions will help you retrofit them. You can also watch Video Examples of Retrofit Steps! www.windowcoverings.org
ELIMINATE LOOPED PULL CORDS (pre-1995miniblinds and pleated shades)
INSTALL CORD STOPS (all pre-2001 horizontal blinds and corded shades)
INSTALL TIE-DOWN DEVICES (pre-1997 vertical blinds and draperies)
Consumers can either retrofit their older window treatments to remove safety hazards, or they can replace them with today’s safer products, such as cordless blinds, says Todd Zimmerman, owner of Just Right Blinds and Shutters, a Hunter Douglas distributor in Wheaton, Illinois. Hunter Douglas products are not listed in the recall at www.cpsc.gov.
“Retrofit kits are free,” says Zimmerman. “You can request them online at www.windowcoverings.org, or call the Window Covering Safety Council’s toll-free number, 1-800-506-4636. You can use the free kits to eliminate looped pull cords on pre-1995 mini blinds and pleated shades, to install cord stops on pre-2001 horizontal blinds and corded shades, or to install tie-down devices on pre-1997 vertical blinds. Windowcoverings.org also offers step-by-step how-to videos for repairing all types of older blinds and shades.”
To more fully protect young children, the Window Covering Safety Council also recommends consumers follow safety guidelines, including:
Using only cordless window coverings in homes with infants and young children
Moving cribs, beds, furniture and toys away from windows and window cords
Keeping all window cords and inner lift cords out of children’s reach
Locking cords into position whenever blinds or shades are lowered
What if you decide to replace instead of retrofit your window coverings? “Today’s blinds and shades don’t include dangerous loops, even on regular corded products,” says Zimmerman. “But consumers also have several exciting new options to choose from, such as continuous cord, cordless, or convenient motorized blinds with remote control operation.”
For more information about the voluntary safety recall, free retrofit kits or new purchase options for blinds and shutters, contact Todd Zimmerman of Just Right Blinds and Shutters, 630-292-3756, or visit the company’s website at http://www.justrightblinds.vpweb.com
How to retrofit from Window Coverings Safety Council:
Install only cordless window coverings in young children’s bedrooms and sleeping areas. Owners and renters should replace all other window coverings in the home made before 2001 with today's safer products.
However, if you prefer to keep your older window treatments, the following instructions will help you retrofit them. You can also watch Video Examples of Retrofit Steps! www.windowcoverings.org
ELIMINATE LOOPED PULL CORDS (pre-1995miniblinds and pleated shades)
INSTALL CORD STOPS (all pre-2001 horizontal blinds and corded shades)
INSTALL TIE-DOWN DEVICES (pre-1997 vertical blinds and draperies)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
HOLIDAY GLOW INSIDE AND OUT STARTS WITH HUNTER DOUGLAS WINDOW FASHIONS
HOLIDAY GLOW INSIDE AND OUT
STARTS WITH HUNTER DOUGLAS WINDOW FASHIONS
Whether you decorate for the holidays in traditional Currier-and-Ives fashion or in the most minimally modernist manner, there are lots of creative ways to rev it up a notch or two this year. Formulate your action plan now with tips from one of the creative geniuses at Hunter Douglas Window Fashions and three of America’s top interior designers.
The Heart and Soul of Your Home
“Light is crucial year-round,” says Joel Kelly of Joel Kelly Designs in Atlanta, “but even more so during the long, dark, winter months. The right kind of window treatments can make us feel comfortable, relaxed and really in tune with each other whether we’re snuggling by the fire or cooking up treats in the kitchen.” He continues, “Warm fabrics like wool have a great drape and texture for this time of year and for something really easy and inexpensive, exchange traditional tiebacks with holly branches or other natural elements. A glimpse from the road of these festive decorations will put guests in the party mood before they even step through your front door.”
Sally Morse, Director of Creative Services for Hunter Douglas, is a whiz when it comes to devising new takes on old ideas. “Those glittering mercury balls from the 1930s are a favorite of mine,” she says. “Why not string them, or other cherished ornaments, on a garland with invisible fishing line and drape it over or on top of your curtain rod?” Quick to note that even the most cutting-edge among us often want a traditional touch to our glass-and-chrome homes come holiday time, Morse suggests adding swags of lace or dramatic velvet in the same tone as blinds and shades for a new and modern twist on Victoriana.
Easier still, another way to create a beautiful window design regardless of decorating style is with Luminette® Privacy Sheers from Hunter Douglas. “These offer both soft fabric sheers and privacy in one fell swoop,” says Morse. “With neutral white fabric rotating vanes at the rear, they present a consistent look on the outside, and because they are sheers and available in a subtle palette of neutrals and gently saturated tones, they work with all colors and patterns on the inside. And, the filtered light warms up short days and adds a gorgeous glow to any room.” The sheer face fabric of Luminette sheers range from a traditional elegant sheer, to subtly patterned designs, including a graceful scroll and barely-visible checks.
Holiday Cheer in Every Part of the Country
Even in warm climes like Los Angeles where Kenneth Brown operates his interior/exterior design business, one can conjure up the holiday spirit in a myriad of ways. “Capture and enhance the light in your space,” he says. “Trade your daily window dressings for ones with an opalescent finish (Duette® honeycomb shades are available in such a fabric that contains the naturally iridescent mica) or with glass bead, sequin or small mirror accents in the fabric. That way they’ll pick up light from the fireplace and candles, and colors from your holiday decorations, creating an artistic focal point.” Another way to add pizzazz and a personal touch to your home, Brown says, is by sewing a fun trim on plain draperies.
Brown’s concept of relating home décor to a person’s wardrobe makes decorating easy. “Just as we wear lighter clothes in the summer and heavier ones in the winter, so should your house. Think of summer window treatments as shorts and a tank top, winter ones as tweedy pants and a leather jacket. With all the new ideas out there, who can resist tearing down the old and getting new? The holidays are a good time to try out new colors and textures. And don’t forget all the blinds now available in exotic woods, bold colors and all kinds of funky fabrics. Think about celebrating and then go for it!”
Another hot-weather specialist is Ty Burks, who with Christopher Ridolfi, owns the renowned interior design firm William-Christopher Design in Dallas. "While we rely on window treatments here in Texas to keep out damaging UV rays and the often stifling heat," says Burks, "we also use them to frame a wonderful outdoor garden and figuratively to bring the outside in, especially when it’s brightly colored flowers like
bird of paradise and bougainvillea.”
For the holidays, the partners like to exchange cotton and linen draperies with more festive, yet still simple looking, rustling taffeta, and whenever possible, add mirrored pieces to a room to reflect the lights from the tree and masses of candles grouped about on tables and mantles. “The appearance of your windows sets the stage for a room’s ambiance. Remember, your home is a gift to friends and family alike,” they say. “Gift wrap it for them, so to speak, and they’ll know you care.”
"We think one of the best products out there is Hunter Douglas Duette honeycomb shades. They do everything – control and diffuse light, increase insulation, block UV rays and even block out noise. You can use them as a stepping stone to all kinds of window treatments because they're available in hundreds of colors and sheer, opaque and
semi-opaque fabrics."
“No matter where you live, windows really are the focal point of every decorating scheme,” adds Morse. Whatever you do, be it simple or grand, they draw attention to a beautiful view, the holiday treasures you’ve lined up on the sill or, at night, reflect the mirrors and artwork on opposite walls to create, in effect, a masterpiece all their own.
Holiday Tips that Work ‘Round the Year
“The holidays are freezing in Kansas City,” says Alan Karlin whose eponymous design
firm is based there, “and because we spend a lot of time indoors out of necessity, it’s extra important to trim the windows along with the rest of the house.” Karlin brings up another point that is valid elsewhere in the country, too. “Window treatments are key to holiday safety. With the right ones, you can very beautifully and discreetly, keep nosy neighbors, or worse, burglars, from seeing what Santa might have brought or your best silverware laid out for a dinner party. It’s also a good thing to keep in mind when you go away on a trip summer, fall, winter and spring.”
.
Morse agrees with the safety issue and suggests one terrific solution is Hunter Douglas Silhouette® window shadings with the new Top-Down / Bottom-Up TiltAnywhere™ hardware application. These can be open at the top, at the bottom or both at the same time, giving you full control as to how much or little of your home is on view to outsiders. The vanes can be tilted the way you want them as well.
“While it’s great to have all the generations together at this or any time of the year,” says Morse, “sometimes kids need a break, which may be one reason media rooms are gaining in popularity. So while your friends enjoy an aperitif in the living room, send the kids off for video games or a movie.” Perfect for that room is her company’s new Alouette® LightLouvers, a totally new concept that boasts the look of a shutter without the heavy framing and also available in a selection of room-darkening fabrics.
Great New Ideas for the Holidays and Beyond
“Our goal,” says Morse “is to create what people want and need for their homes before they even know it.” Among the latest Hunter Douglas offerings are Modern Precious Metals® aluminum blinds with state-of-the-art PowerTilt™ motorization and an expanded range of colors finishes and textures; and “for that extra nap you know you’re going to need during this party-filled season,” the billowy folds of Vignette® window shadings in the new EveScape™ room-darkening option.
With some advance planning, advice from the experts and a little help from family members, decorating for the holidays can be fun. Sometimes it turns out so well that you’ll want to keep parts of it in your décor for all-year-round enjoyment.
STARTS WITH HUNTER DOUGLAS WINDOW FASHIONS
Whether you decorate for the holidays in traditional Currier-and-Ives fashion or in the most minimally modernist manner, there are lots of creative ways to rev it up a notch or two this year. Formulate your action plan now with tips from one of the creative geniuses at Hunter Douglas Window Fashions and three of America’s top interior designers.
The Heart and Soul of Your Home
“Light is crucial year-round,” says Joel Kelly of Joel Kelly Designs in Atlanta, “but even more so during the long, dark, winter months. The right kind of window treatments can make us feel comfortable, relaxed and really in tune with each other whether we’re snuggling by the fire or cooking up treats in the kitchen.” He continues, “Warm fabrics like wool have a great drape and texture for this time of year and for something really easy and inexpensive, exchange traditional tiebacks with holly branches or other natural elements. A glimpse from the road of these festive decorations will put guests in the party mood before they even step through your front door.”
Sally Morse, Director of Creative Services for Hunter Douglas, is a whiz when it comes to devising new takes on old ideas. “Those glittering mercury balls from the 1930s are a favorite of mine,” she says. “Why not string them, or other cherished ornaments, on a garland with invisible fishing line and drape it over or on top of your curtain rod?” Quick to note that even the most cutting-edge among us often want a traditional touch to our glass-and-chrome homes come holiday time, Morse suggests adding swags of lace or dramatic velvet in the same tone as blinds and shades for a new and modern twist on Victoriana.
Easier still, another way to create a beautiful window design regardless of decorating style is with Luminette® Privacy Sheers from Hunter Douglas. “These offer both soft fabric sheers and privacy in one fell swoop,” says Morse. “With neutral white fabric rotating vanes at the rear, they present a consistent look on the outside, and because they are sheers and available in a subtle palette of neutrals and gently saturated tones, they work with all colors and patterns on the inside. And, the filtered light warms up short days and adds a gorgeous glow to any room.” The sheer face fabric of Luminette sheers range from a traditional elegant sheer, to subtly patterned designs, including a graceful scroll and barely-visible checks.
Holiday Cheer in Every Part of the Country
Even in warm climes like Los Angeles where Kenneth Brown operates his interior/exterior design business, one can conjure up the holiday spirit in a myriad of ways. “Capture and enhance the light in your space,” he says. “Trade your daily window dressings for ones with an opalescent finish (Duette® honeycomb shades are available in such a fabric that contains the naturally iridescent mica) or with glass bead, sequin or small mirror accents in the fabric. That way they’ll pick up light from the fireplace and candles, and colors from your holiday decorations, creating an artistic focal point.” Another way to add pizzazz and a personal touch to your home, Brown says, is by sewing a fun trim on plain draperies.
Brown’s concept of relating home décor to a person’s wardrobe makes decorating easy. “Just as we wear lighter clothes in the summer and heavier ones in the winter, so should your house. Think of summer window treatments as shorts and a tank top, winter ones as tweedy pants and a leather jacket. With all the new ideas out there, who can resist tearing down the old and getting new? The holidays are a good time to try out new colors and textures. And don’t forget all the blinds now available in exotic woods, bold colors and all kinds of funky fabrics. Think about celebrating and then go for it!”
Another hot-weather specialist is Ty Burks, who with Christopher Ridolfi, owns the renowned interior design firm William-Christopher Design in Dallas. "While we rely on window treatments here in Texas to keep out damaging UV rays and the often stifling heat," says Burks, "we also use them to frame a wonderful outdoor garden and figuratively to bring the outside in, especially when it’s brightly colored flowers like
bird of paradise and bougainvillea.”
For the holidays, the partners like to exchange cotton and linen draperies with more festive, yet still simple looking, rustling taffeta, and whenever possible, add mirrored pieces to a room to reflect the lights from the tree and masses of candles grouped about on tables and mantles. “The appearance of your windows sets the stage for a room’s ambiance. Remember, your home is a gift to friends and family alike,” they say. “Gift wrap it for them, so to speak, and they’ll know you care.”
"We think one of the best products out there is Hunter Douglas Duette honeycomb shades. They do everything – control and diffuse light, increase insulation, block UV rays and even block out noise. You can use them as a stepping stone to all kinds of window treatments because they're available in hundreds of colors and sheer, opaque and
semi-opaque fabrics."
“No matter where you live, windows really are the focal point of every decorating scheme,” adds Morse. Whatever you do, be it simple or grand, they draw attention to a beautiful view, the holiday treasures you’ve lined up on the sill or, at night, reflect the mirrors and artwork on opposite walls to create, in effect, a masterpiece all their own.
Holiday Tips that Work ‘Round the Year
“The holidays are freezing in Kansas City,” says Alan Karlin whose eponymous design
firm is based there, “and because we spend a lot of time indoors out of necessity, it’s extra important to trim the windows along with the rest of the house.” Karlin brings up another point that is valid elsewhere in the country, too. “Window treatments are key to holiday safety. With the right ones, you can very beautifully and discreetly, keep nosy neighbors, or worse, burglars, from seeing what Santa might have brought or your best silverware laid out for a dinner party. It’s also a good thing to keep in mind when you go away on a trip summer, fall, winter and spring.”
.
Morse agrees with the safety issue and suggests one terrific solution is Hunter Douglas Silhouette® window shadings with the new Top-Down / Bottom-Up TiltAnywhere™ hardware application. These can be open at the top, at the bottom or both at the same time, giving you full control as to how much or little of your home is on view to outsiders. The vanes can be tilted the way you want them as well.
“While it’s great to have all the generations together at this or any time of the year,” says Morse, “sometimes kids need a break, which may be one reason media rooms are gaining in popularity. So while your friends enjoy an aperitif in the living room, send the kids off for video games or a movie.” Perfect for that room is her company’s new Alouette® LightLouvers, a totally new concept that boasts the look of a shutter without the heavy framing and also available in a selection of room-darkening fabrics.
Great New Ideas for the Holidays and Beyond
“Our goal,” says Morse “is to create what people want and need for their homes before they even know it.” Among the latest Hunter Douglas offerings are Modern Precious Metals® aluminum blinds with state-of-the-art PowerTilt™ motorization and an expanded range of colors finishes and textures; and “for that extra nap you know you’re going to need during this party-filled season,” the billowy folds of Vignette® window shadings in the new EveScape™ room-darkening option.
With some advance planning, advice from the experts and a little help from family members, decorating for the holidays can be fun. Sometimes it turns out so well that you’ll want to keep parts of it in your décor for all-year-round enjoyment.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
INSPIRATION IS ALL AROUND YOU
Reinvent a Room’s Lighting with Blinds & Shutters
There are many kinds of light: filtered, direct, reflected, indirect, natural, so you want to enjoy as much variety as you can in your room. Too many people treat a window as a mere hole in the wall; it’s much more satisfying to think of windows with blinds or shades that control the light coming through as an integral part of the room. Light comes from two opposite extremes: from the untouched corners of natural sun and from room light. If you can incorporate the effects of both – filtered light with louvered shutters, blinds, or shades and strategically placed artificial room lighting; you will have something really special. Hunter Douglas room décors’ provide these options. JustRightBlinds.blogspot.com, www.JustRightBlinds.vpweb.com
There are many kinds of light: filtered, direct, reflected, indirect, natural, so you want to enjoy as much variety as you can in your room. Too many people treat a window as a mere hole in the wall; it’s much more satisfying to think of windows with blinds or shades that control the light coming through as an integral part of the room. Light comes from two opposite extremes: from the untouched corners of natural sun and from room light. If you can incorporate the effects of both – filtered light with louvered shutters, blinds, or shades and strategically placed artificial room lighting; you will have something really special. Hunter Douglas room décors’ provide these options. JustRightBlinds.blogspot.com, www.JustRightBlinds.vpweb.com
Friday, October 9, 2009
You Should Borrow as Much as You Possible Can from the View Outside.
Think of Your Blinds and Shades as Links Rather than Barriers.
There’s a wonderful world outside your windows, and it is my belief that you should borrow as much as possible and use it inside. Claim that view outside your window by breaking down the barrier between interior and exterior. Window blinds and shades help that transition. Try this single trick: Select an arrangement of natural clippings or flowers from the world outside your window; make it a part of your inside space. This visual connection brings the view inside, creating a feeling of a much larger room. For blinds and shutters that let the outside in, contact Todd Zimmerman, 630.292.3756,
www.JustRightBlinds.vpweb.com
There’s a wonderful world outside your windows, and it is my belief that you should borrow as much as possible and use it inside. Claim that view outside your window by breaking down the barrier between interior and exterior. Window blinds and shades help that transition. Try this single trick: Select an arrangement of natural clippings or flowers from the world outside your window; make it a part of your inside space. This visual connection brings the view inside, creating a feeling of a much larger room. For blinds and shutters that let the outside in, contact Todd Zimmerman, 630.292.3756,
www.JustRightBlinds.vpweb.com
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Cultivate Your Mind and Every Day is an Adventure
Just Right Blinds & Shutters, Wheaton, IL
An open mind is essential to good home design for blinds and shutters. People come to a project of designing and redecorating the windows in their homes with their minds full of ideas. When they clear their minds of these preconceived ideas they begin to be much more creative when they look at blinds and shutters and how they fit into the interior design of their home. A lot of people believe only a design professional can decorate their home. They copy ideas from magazines to make their home look like those ideas. The real truth is that you can design your own room with blinds and shutters when you begin to analyze who you are and what makes you comfortable in your room. Then you can move on to how the room should look with blinds being a part of the design. Who you are and what blinds you use also change over time. How you live and what you can afford changes too.
Your home is your world as you’ve heard. Designing with blinds and shutters is all about who you are and what you enjoy. I hope I’ve inspired you to use your home design as a means of creative expression and to be bold with blinds and shutters from Just Right Blinds, Todd Zimmerman, Wheaton, IL 630.292.3756
http://www.justrightblinds.vpweb.com/
An open mind is essential to good home design for blinds and shutters. People come to a project of designing and redecorating the windows in their homes with their minds full of ideas. When they clear their minds of these preconceived ideas they begin to be much more creative when they look at blinds and shutters and how they fit into the interior design of their home. A lot of people believe only a design professional can decorate their home. They copy ideas from magazines to make their home look like those ideas. The real truth is that you can design your own room with blinds and shutters when you begin to analyze who you are and what makes you comfortable in your room. Then you can move on to how the room should look with blinds being a part of the design. Who you are and what blinds you use also change over time. How you live and what you can afford changes too.
Your home is your world as you’ve heard. Designing with blinds and shutters is all about who you are and what you enjoy. I hope I’ve inspired you to use your home design as a means of creative expression and to be bold with blinds and shutters from Just Right Blinds, Todd Zimmerman, Wheaton, IL 630.292.3756
http://www.justrightblinds.vpweb.com/
Friday, September 18, 2009
GOING GREEN THIS WINTER IS MORE COST-EFFECTIVE THAN EVER
~ Hunter Douglas Can Help Reduce Heating Bills ~
Hunter Douglas, the company that pioneered the category of highly energy efficient yet fashionable window coverings with the development of the Duette® honeycomb shade in 1985, has the following tips to help save on those heating bills without giving your home a major overhaul:
· Weatherize – First, test your home for air tightness. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends lighting an incense stick on a windy day and holding it next to your windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures and other places where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke travels horizontally, you have located an air leak. Seal up these holes, weather-strip doors and insulate attic floors. And, when the fireplace is not in use, keep the damper closed tightly.
· Insulate – Don’t just insulate your attic. The Department of Energy calculates that 10 to 25 percent of a heating bill goes out the window, literally. Duette honeycomb shades, boasting a cellular structure that traps air in the honeycomb pleats, can dramatically increase energy savings at the window. Insulation is measured in R-values and the higher the R-value, the better a window resists the transfer of heat. A single layer of uncovered window glass has an R-value of about 1, while a typical double-glazed window (two panes of glass or with a storm window) has an R-value of around 2. By selecting an energy-efficient window treatment, you can increase the R-value one to four points.
Duette honeycomb shades with three layers of honeycomb pleats more than double the energy efficiency of a double-glazed window and nearly quadruple the efficiency of a single pane of glass with a very high insulating R-value of 4.8 (on double-glazed windows). For more detailed information on the insulation R Value, Email Todd at tz@justrightblinds.vpweb.com
· Improve and maintain your mechanical systems – Make sure your gas or oil furnace is serviced and cleaned at least once a year and change or clean furnace filters often during heating season. Also, clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed.
And, replace your thermostat with a programmable one that allows you to set temperatures at different times of the day. Turning the heat down from 72 to 65 degrees for at least eight hours a day can reduce heating bills by 10 percent according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Portland General Electric, Portland’s largest utility company, has dispelled the popular notion that the higher you set your heater’s thermostat, the faster your home will warm up. In reality, they say, it takes the same amount of time for the temperature to reach 70 degrees F whether the thermostat is set at 70 or 90 degrees. Setting the thermostat all the way up only increases your heating costs.
Another hint, according to Tom Silva, general contractor on PBS’s “This Old House,” air conditioning units should be removed in the fall as they are drafty and suck the air out of a house. If that is too much work, use an insulated jacket that goes on the exterior.
· Watch Your Windows – For the rare sunny day, open your shades to help heat the house with the sun, but be sure to close them at night. Also, keep the windows on the south side of your house clean to ensure maximum solar gain.
· Landscape – Let Mother Nature work for you. Trees that lose their leaves in the fall permit winter sunlight to reach and warm your house. Plant deciduous trees on the south and east sides of your home. Stop chilling winter winds by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides.
www.justrightblinds.vpweb.com.
Hunter Douglas, the company that pioneered the category of highly energy efficient yet fashionable window coverings with the development of the Duette® honeycomb shade in 1985, has the following tips to help save on those heating bills without giving your home a major overhaul:
· Weatherize – First, test your home for air tightness. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends lighting an incense stick on a windy day and holding it next to your windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures and other places where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke travels horizontally, you have located an air leak. Seal up these holes, weather-strip doors and insulate attic floors. And, when the fireplace is not in use, keep the damper closed tightly.
· Insulate – Don’t just insulate your attic. The Department of Energy calculates that 10 to 25 percent of a heating bill goes out the window, literally. Duette honeycomb shades, boasting a cellular structure that traps air in the honeycomb pleats, can dramatically increase energy savings at the window. Insulation is measured in R-values and the higher the R-value, the better a window resists the transfer of heat. A single layer of uncovered window glass has an R-value of about 1, while a typical double-glazed window (two panes of glass or with a storm window) has an R-value of around 2. By selecting an energy-efficient window treatment, you can increase the R-value one to four points.
Duette honeycomb shades with three layers of honeycomb pleats more than double the energy efficiency of a double-glazed window and nearly quadruple the efficiency of a single pane of glass with a very high insulating R-value of 4.8 (on double-glazed windows). For more detailed information on the insulation R Value, Email Todd at tz@justrightblinds.vpweb.com
· Improve and maintain your mechanical systems – Make sure your gas or oil furnace is serviced and cleaned at least once a year and change or clean furnace filters often during heating season. Also, clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed.
And, replace your thermostat with a programmable one that allows you to set temperatures at different times of the day. Turning the heat down from 72 to 65 degrees for at least eight hours a day can reduce heating bills by 10 percent according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Portland General Electric, Portland’s largest utility company, has dispelled the popular notion that the higher you set your heater’s thermostat, the faster your home will warm up. In reality, they say, it takes the same amount of time for the temperature to reach 70 degrees F whether the thermostat is set at 70 or 90 degrees. Setting the thermostat all the way up only increases your heating costs.
Another hint, according to Tom Silva, general contractor on PBS’s “This Old House,” air conditioning units should be removed in the fall as they are drafty and suck the air out of a house. If that is too much work, use an insulated jacket that goes on the exterior.
· Watch Your Windows – For the rare sunny day, open your shades to help heat the house with the sun, but be sure to close them at night. Also, keep the windows on the south side of your house clean to ensure maximum solar gain.
· Landscape – Let Mother Nature work for you. Trees that lose their leaves in the fall permit winter sunlight to reach and warm your house. Plant deciduous trees on the south and east sides of your home. Stop chilling winter winds by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides.
www.justrightblinds.vpweb.com.
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