A few insights from Lahood on choosing the most energy efficient window furnishings.
As the temperature drops, it’s worth thinking about where your home’s warmth is actually going. Up to 45% of heat can be lost through windows, which means the right window treatment can make a genuine difference to both your comfort and your heating bills.
The case for lined curtains
For those who love the look of elegant fabric, lined curtains are hard to beat for style and energy efficiency. Protection Plus linings from Lahood® Window Furnishings come in three options to suit different rooms and needs. Armourguard offers maximum blockout and thermal insulation, ideal for bedrooms. InsulPro provides excellent warmth while still allowing some light through, so perfect for living areas. Serenity is a lighter option suited to sheers or rooms where soft light diffusion is preferred. All three can be used with curtains or roman blinds, and for extra flexibility, a double track system lets you switch between lined curtains in winter and breezy sheers in summer.
Honeycomb blinds – proven performance
For the maximum in energy efficiency and a sleek contemporary look, Luxaflex® Duette® Shades are worth serious consideration. Their innovative honeycomb structure traps air in pockets, creating a thermal barrier that stops cold enter in winter and hot air in summer. Consumer NZ* testing rated this type of cellular blind as the most efficient window furnishing for conserving heat in a room (up to 63%), providing 33% more insulation than double-glazing. For rooms with single-glazed windows, the Duette® Architella takes this further still, with a cell-within-a-cell construction for even greater efficiency.
Fit matters as much as fabric
Whichever option you choose, proper fitting is essential. Gaps around edges allow cold air in and warmth out. Curtains should extend beyond the window frame and brush the floor, while blinds fitted within a recess should sit as snugly as possible against the frame.
Of course, you don’t have to choose between curtains and blinds. Layering both on the same window gives you the best of both worlds, added insulation, privacy, and a beautifully considered interior.
June promotion
Now is a great time to buy thermal window furnishings as Lahood are offering 15% off Luxaflex Duette Shades (including automation) and 15% off Lahood Protection Plus Linings during June.
Lahood’s design consultants are happy to guide you through the options. Visit lahood.co.nz or pop into the showroom at 104 Mt Eden Road to get started.
*Refer Lahood blog, Are your Windows Costing You Money?
