When most people think about blackout shades, they think about their most practical purpose – to keep a space in your home or business dark. Whether you’re trying to get a full night’s sleep or enjoy a more theater-like movie experience, shades can serve several specific needs.
Not only are blackout shades a great solution to minimize light in any space, but they also offer several other benefits. One major reason blackout shades continue to grow in popularity is that they increase the energy efficiency of homes and businesses.
Here, the experts at Prestige Blinds explain everything you need to know about blackout shades.
What Are Blackout Shades?
Blackout shades are a window treatment consisting of nontransparent fabric that restricts the amount of natural and artificial light a room receives. Not only are they found in homes, but they are also commonly used in offices and hotel rooms. Unlike room-darkening shades that typically reduce 95-99% of natural light, many blackout shade styles can eliminate 100% of natural light. Blackout shades are great for improving sleep but are also a stellar option for living rooms, home offices, and corporate settings to help reduce screen glare.
Benefits Of Blackout Shades
Of course, the top benefit of blackout shades is that they can instantly darken any room. However, they also offer several other benefits that often go overlooked. Here are three of the greatest benefits of installing blackout shades:
Light Blocking
Blackout shades are a multipurpose window covering solution as they block both natural and artificial light. Another major benefit is that they can be used at any time of the day to control the amount of light your space receives. Being able to customize how much light a room has is a great option for people who need to sleep during the day or homes that are constantly exposed to sun or artificial light like billboards and street lights.
They are also ideal for media rooms or living rooms to enhance your viewing experience. Babies and children also benefit from blackout shades, as they help them to fall asleep quickly.
Blackout shades also help to prevent exposure to outside elements such as dust or pollen and reduce the chance of your art, furniture, and walls fading. Blackout shades can be especially convenient for those who own second homes that are often left unoccupied. This can help save you from having to make costly and time-consuming repairs down the line.
Noise Reduction
From street traffic to barking dogs, there is no doubt that outside sounds can be a nuisance. If your home or business falls victim to constant outside noise, you may want to consider blackout shades. While blackout shades won’t block all of the sound, they can significantly help reduce disruptive noise pollution.
Blackout shades also help to increase the acoustics of your home, making for a more pleasant viewing experience as it removes much of the echo. They can be especially helpful for spaces with a lot of hard surfaces, as the shades decrease reverberation. The thick fabric blackout shades are made of provide effective sound insulation.
Health Benefits
Because installing blackout curtains helps to improve your quality of sleep and productivity, they also provide several health benefits that traditional window treatments cannot. Better sleep benefits your cardiovascular, digestive, and nervous systems. According to UC Davis Health, the benefits of getting the appropriate amount of sleep help to:
- reduce anxiety and depression
- help heart health
- promote growth
- support weight management
- increase attention span
- boost memory and learning
Increased Energy Efficiency
One of the most surprising benefits of installing blackout shades is that they help increase the overall energy efficiency of your home or business. According to a survey from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average home in Florida uses an astounding 1,110 kWh every month! This is a massive increase compared to the national average of 914 kWh per month.
Though the energy efficiency of your home or business varies on factors such as age and energy use, blackout shades can be an effective way to reduce your energy costs. The U.S. Department of Energy determined that tightly installing blackout shades can reduce cooling and heating loss by at least 40%! Not only does this mean that your home or business will stay cooler in the summer and warmer during cold snaps, but it also means that they can greatly reduce your energy costs!
One easy way to figure out how much you will save on your energy bills is to take your average yearly energy costs and determine 20% of that figure. For many homes and businesses, installing blackout shades quickly pays for themselves!
Energy-Efficient Blackout Shades In South Florida
Blackout shades are a great option for any sized project as they offer many benefits that traditional window treatments don’t. Not only do they help reduce the amount of natural and artificial light a space receives, but they are also effective for blocking outside noise. One of the best benefits is that preventing light from entering the room has a major positive impact on the property’s energy efficiency.
For over 10 years, Prestige Blinds has been the premier window treatment company for South Florida residents and all their blind needs! Not only do we have the knowledge and experience needed to install custom blinds and shutters, but we also have a deep understanding of their benefits.
We provide our clients with top-quality custom window treatments. Not only is Prestige Blinds the top choice for blackout shades for South Florida residents, but we also provide services for a variety of commercial and hospitality properties.
During your free in-home consultation, our knowledgeable staff will expertly guide you through our wide selection to determine which type of shades or blinds will best fit your needs.
Prestige Blinds prides itself on being your one-stop shop for all your window treatment needs. If you are looking to increase the energy efficiency of your home or business, blackout blinds are a great option for any space. Whether it’s one room or your entire property, we’re here to help! If you have any questions about the energy efficiency of blackout shades or would like to schedule a free in-home consultation, call Prestige Blinds at 954-790-8436 today!
