Stop throwing money out the window

About half of unwanted heat comes through exposed windows. Shading your windows can minimise heat in your home to create a comfortable cooler environment – and save on power bills.

You can keep the heat out in summer:

• shade windows from the sun from sunrise to sunset – this will keep the sun off the house for as long as possible. Fit your windows with lined curtains, close-fitting Holland and/or Roman blinds, and reduce heat gains by about 15 per cent. Vertical blinds, conventional or timber venetians are generally not as good.
• install external blinds or awnings to north, east and west facing windows – it's more effective for blocking out morning and afternoon rays than internal blinds, curtains or shutters.
• add plants or a pergola. This is a great way to achieve maximum shade in summer. It may take longer though you can create a pleasant outlook.
• change the way your windows are shaded both inside and out and you can keep your home cooler by more than 70 per cent in summer.
• keep doors and windows closed as much as possible to keep hot air out. The Window Energy Rating Scheme (WERS) in NSW is a great way to check how effective a window is at preventing heat gain or heat loss
• close curtains or blinds during the day in rooms that are not being used. When the temperature drops at night, open doors and windows to cool your house and let hot air out.

You can control the temperature of your home in winter without relying on power-hungry heating appliances. Fitting curtains and blinds that reduce heat loss and trap warmth saves on power bills and reduces our impact on the environment.

You can reduce heat loss in winter:

• close curtains, blinds or shutters on cold, cloudy days and especially at night – this keeps the heat inside your home
• cover windows with close-fitting, floor-length, heavy curtains. Curtains with pelmets are better at storing heat than Venetian blinds. Tightly fitting Holland or Roman blinds made from closely woven fabrics like a cotton/polyester blend are also effective for reducing heat loss. Likewise, shutters are effective if they can be tightly closed and are not louvered.
• make the most of sunny days and open curtains, blinds and shutters on windows facing the sun – this will let in sunlight and warmth, and will help to minimise the need to use your heating system.

Windows have a major impact on whether your home will be too hot in summer or too cold in winter – that’s why glazing your windows is a great option if you're upgrading or renovating. By improving the performance of your windows you can save power and money all-year-round.

Minimise heat loss and reduce heat gain:

• double glazing – install two sheets of glass separated by 12-20 mm with a pocket of air between them. This may cost more at the start, but acts as a highly effective buffer for heat prevention or loss in the long term and adds value to your property.
• secondary glazing is a low-cost method for protecting glass from the heat and cold. A double-sided heat intensive membrane is fitted to the window to provide a layer of protection and costs one-third of the price of double glazing.