How Shutters Can Help Insulate Your Home
Rising fuel prices means families across the country are now looking at ways of cutting the size of their heating bills - and one of the key ways of doing this is to have made-to-measure shutters installed on your windows. Here the Bespoke Shutter Company, who specialise in supplying and installing plantation shutters in London and Hertfordshire, look at some of the reasons why they are so cost-effective – and provide some tips on how to maximise their energy efficiency.
Why Shutters Help
One of the biggest drivers of high energy usage is heat loss, and this typically escapes through the windows and doors. Windows alone are responsible for between 25 and 30 percent of all heat loss in the average home, according to a study by the US Department of Energy. A further report, commissioned by Historic England, showed that well-fitting shutters can reduce heat loss through windows by as much as 58% - a far higher figure than curtains and other coverings.
Shutters can achieve this energy efficiency because they help avoid the problems of conduction and convection. The former occurs where warm air inside the home is lost through the windows, doors and walls; the latter occurs where cold air enters the same parts of the house from outside. With high quality, made-to-measure window shutters, there are fewer gaps, and the amount of conduction and convection is significantly reduced.
Hardwood plantation shutters are particularly energy efficient, as the cellular structure of wood includes air pockets. Air is an insulator, and these pockets help to reduce heat conductivity.
Tips on Using the Shutters Correctly
Just having shutters installed won’t necessarily reduce your heating bills on their own; you have to know how to adjust their louvres to get the maximum benefit, particularly in the summer.
You should:
- Fully open your louvres once you get up in the morning
- Keep them open during the day; this will allow the sun’s rays to heat your home
- Once night falls, close all the louvres up to create an additional barrier between your home and the cold air outside
- Repeat the process every day to maximise your energy savings
If you opt for solid shutters (which give you greater privacy) then you won’t have any louvres to adjust, and the degree of insulation provided is even greater; however, you will lose some flexibility over how much light gets in, as they can only be fully open or fully closed. Other types of shutters (such full-height, café-style, or tier on tier) are better in this regard.
Plantation Shutters in London from The Bespoke Shutter Company
The Bespoke Shutter Company supply and install made-to-measure shutters in Hertfordshire and across North London. Our interior shutters are available in a wide range of colours and finishes, and they are made from high quality hardwoods and engineered woods, so they will last a long time as well as look stylish and attractive.
We can make solid, full-height, café-style, tier on tier and tracked shutters – in fact, shutters of virtually any size or shape – to your exact specifications. They can be fitted to every room in your house; and our range of waterproof shutters means you don’t have to worry about moisture ruining the wood if you want some in the bathroom.
If you are not sure which type of shutters would go best with your home or business, call us on 020 3131 3155 and we’ll be happy to talk over your options. You can also reach us by following this link and filling in the online form; and your initial quotation survey is free.
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