Should You Keep Window Blinds Closed During The Summer?

As we write this, the UK is emerging from a week of heavy rain and things are warming up again. We have unpredictable weather in this country, but it looks like another heatwave is on the way. This means we’ll all be looking for ways to keep cool throughout the rest of the summer, and window blinds can help with that. 

Here at Appeal Home Shading, we’ve talked about the benefits of window blinds many times. They can help you manage your household temperature and make rooms more comfortable, but how? Window blinds have year-round benefits, but let’s look specifically at the warmer months. Should you keep your blinds open or closed in the summer? Let’s find out.

Cooling The House Down

First of all, we should probably point out a little-known fact; opening your windows isn’t a good way to cool the house down. It can actually have the opposite effect. It might sound counterintuitive, but the best approach is to close your windows and seal the house off from the outside world. It’ll form an enclosed environment and the air conditioning won’t need to work so hard to reduce the temperature. 

Window blinds can help with this. They are great for trapping heat within the house, but they also work the opposite way. They’ll prevent the warm air outside from entering your home, and reflect the sun’s rays too. Our reflective Solar-R® blinds or thermal Honeycomb Energy-Saver blinds are the best for this, but in truth, our entire range will have a positive effect. 

Should You Close Your Blinds?

We must point out that keeping your blinds closed won’t be for everyone. If you’re one of those people who is unaffected by the heat and is quite happy even on the hottest days, by all means, leave your window blinds open. Some people can tolerate extreme temperatures and if you don’t want to interrupt the views of a picturesque garden, there’s no reason to close your blinds.

Furthermore, you don’t have to keep your blinds closed 24/7. The sun’s position isn’t fixed, so if it isn’t shining directly onto your windows, you can leave your blinds open. It’s also a good idea to open your blinds and windows in the evening as the outside temperature drops; it’ll speed up the cooling process as the air circulates through your home. Plus, if you have any north-facing windows, you can leave their blinds open as they don’t tend to receive direct sunlight, even during peak hours. 

Lastly, let’s not overlook automation. Automated blinds that react to specific light and heat levels might seem like a luxury, but they are extremely useful for reducing stuffiness. Our ULTRA Smart blinds in particular are a great option for this. They are fitted with light and heat sensors, so can be programmed to open or close automatically in response to certain conditions. Individual sections can even be set up independently of one another. Want the blinds open in the living room but closed in the conservatory? No problem at all. 

In other words, assuming you want a cooler house and don’t mind blocking the view of the outside world, closing your blinds during the daytime is the best approach. This doesn’t mean you have to be isolated for the entire summer though. You can adjust your shading depending on the conditions, or pre-program your blinds to respond to them. 

If you have any questions, you are of course welcome to contact us. Alternatively, if you want to find out more about our products, or have a project in mind already, why not download a brochure or book a design consultation? We can’t wait to hear from you.