Window Treatments and Shutters in St. Petersburg, FL
The modern homeowner typically puts a focused interest in improving the general environment of the home. Historically, much of the effort was put towards appropriate and functional décor. Now, a combination of form, function, and efficiency rule the decisions around the house.
Many factors have gone into this perspective including lowering the cost of energy, reducing the amount of energy used for environmental reasons, and improving the air quality in the home by using responsibly manufactured products.
Health, safety, and eco-friendliness are all important influences on design decisions around the home. From wall coverings to countertops to window treatments, green thinking has taken a spot on the stage of design consideration.
For homeowners that are unsure where to start, window treatments may have a surprising impact on multiple environmental aspects. Reducing your carbon footprint, energy efficiency, and environmental comfort can all be controlled with an appropriate shutter installation.
Read on to learn about these impacts and how The Blind and Shutter Gallery of St. Pete, FL can help.
Reduce Your Impact on Greenhouse Gas Emissions
There are a couple of ways that an upgrade to your window treatments can reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases that are seemingly plaguing our environment.
First, selecting a natural wood shutter would be a good choice for those looking to install new or upgrade from old window treatments. A rather large percentage of greenhouse gases are produced by creating unnatural products for use in the home.
Inquiring at The Blind and Shutter Gallery can ensure you are aware of where and how your wood shutters were manufactured. There are plenty of products that are sourced from renewable, replanted trees. Further, if you should decide on another design change in the future, wood is recyclable, unlike many other window treatments.
Secondly, properly fitted and selected shutters can reduce the amount of energy used by your home. Some shutters can actually act as a form of insulation, eliminating the loss of cool or warm air through the window opening.
Experts estimate that even energy-efficient, double-paned windows without window treatments allow ten times more energy to pass through them than those with an efficient window covering. The only way to reduce this number drastically is by blocking the sun with effective treatments, like wooden shutters.
Less air lost and less air let in can favorably impact the efficiency of your HVAC system and requires less energy use. Obviously, energy production is another contributor to the buildup of greenhouse gases in the environment.
Low-Maintenance Window Shutters Mean Cleaner Air
Air pollution inside the home can contribute to a variety of ailments including allergies and respiratory problems. It may surprise you to know that the window treatments in your home could be negatively impacting your indoor air quality.
Finding a treatment that requires minimal effort and no chemicals to clean can drastically improve the condition of your environment. Draperies collect dust that can be difficult to remove. In fact, most require professional cleaning that often goes left undone.
This buildup of dust and the introduction of cleaning chemicals can prevent you from enjoying a pure breathing environment inside your home. Shutters, once again, offer a great example of a low-maintenance, easy to clean option that can drastically improve your surroundings.
In addition to being better for you and your family’s health, finding ways to make cleaning easier should also be near the top of your home improvement list!
Shutters Offer Convenience
Window treatments are designed to accomplish many tasks including the control of light levels and ventilation. Unfortunately, some treatments simply ignore the inconvenience of having to take extra steps to operate them.
Tying back draperies or raising and lowering blinds can be inconvenient and often looks messy. Shutters provide simple operation with a consistently clean look. Shutters also offer an enhanced level of privacy. With adjustable louvers, light can still be let in while avoiding the potential of someone looking directly into the room from the outside.
What to Look for When Considering Eco-Friendly Window Treatments
Finding products that meet all the needs of your environmentally conscious design ideas can be challenging. While wood shutters represent one of the eco-friendliest options, it is not the only one out there. There are a few questions that you should ask about when selecting and committing to window treatments:
How was this product made? The manufacturing of the treatment should also limit greenhouse gas emissions, reduce waste by-products, and avoid toxic materials.
Is this product air-quality certified? A common certification for a high-quality, environmentally friendly product is the Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certification.
What is the R-Value of this product? This value determines how energy efficient the product is. The higher the value, the more it insulates. Obviously, a high insulation rating is preferable in both cool and warm months.
It can be hard to walk into a home improvement store and ask these types of questions. However, getting accurate answers can help ensure you are accomplishing your goals of environmentally responsible home design and décor.
For a less intimidating environment with superior expertise, stop by BBD Lifestyle showroom in St. Petersburg, FL. The experts there can help you understand your needs and even visit your home for an in-home consultation.
