As temperatures climb across Lancashire this summer, keeping your home cool becomes a daily challenge. The good news is that one of the most effective tools is already at your window. The BBC recently published six expert tips for keeping your home and yourself cool in hot weather – and right near the top of the list is a simple one: keep your blinds closed during the day.
At Pendle Blinds, we see this every summer. Here’s why your window coverings matter more than you might think, and how to get the most from them.
Why closed blinds keep a room cooler
Up to a third of the unwanted heat in your home in summer comes straight through the windows. When sunlight hits the glass, it warms the air inside – and that heat gets trapped. Closing your blinds during the hottest part of the day, especially on the sunny side of the house, blocks a large share of that heat before it ever gets in. It’s free, instant, and makes a genuine difference to how a room feels.
The best blinds for beating the heat
Not all blinds are equal when it comes to keeping cool:
- Blackout roller blinds are the workhorses. A close-fitting blackout blind blocks direct sunlight and the heat that comes with it – ideal for south-facing rooms and bedrooms you want to keep cool for sleeping.
- Light-coloured fabrics reflect more sunlight back out than dark ones, so a paler blind will typically keep a room cooler.
- Venetian blinds give you control: tilt the slats to bounce sunlight away while still letting a little light and air through.
- Perfect fit and roof blinds are especially useful for conservatories and rooms with skylights, where heat build-up is at its worst.
Get the timing right
The trick is to work with the day. Close your blinds in the morning before the sun is at full strength and keep them shut through the afternoon. Then, once it’s cooler outside than in – usually the evening – open the windows and let the warm air out.
Made to measure for a proper fit
A blind that fits the window snugly blocks far more heat than an ill-fitting, off-the-shelf one. Every blind we supply across Burnley, Pendle and the surrounding area is made to measure, so it does its job in summer and looks the part all year round.
If your current blinds aren’t keeping the heat out, now’s the time to sort it. Get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote.