(Examples of 'home made' curtains and our draught diagnostic Smoke Pens)
Many people have been chatting with me lately about their curtains and how we can stop all those draughts from their windows, especially when we can’t identify where they are coming from! It’s always been a great idea to light an incense stick (our Energy Advisors use a great smoke generation pen), hold it up near the window and see where the smoke goes, but what do you do then?
So much heat is lost through draughty windows, what can we do? Well, there are a few things I’d recommend.
Firstly, if there are any visible holes, or you can see daylight through a gap, block them up the best you can. You can get dedicated seals for windows and doors. If the windows are draughty and only single glazed, you can also get secondary glazing film that covers the entire window, creating an air-tight seal.
Curtains are fantastic and immediately reduce heat loss in a room that’s heated when they are closed. Thin curtains (that barely block out light), nets, and voiles offer little help when trying to keep the heat in. Well fitted blackout/thermal blinds offer some thermal value; they should reduce heat loss by around 10%. Whereas thick-lined or thermal curtains can reduce heat loss by approximately 17%. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford heavy curtains, so what is the option then? If you’ve got a solid curtain pole (or rail), make your own! I hear you cry, ‘but I don’t have a sewing machine’, why not get an old quilt cover and, with the buttons, or popper, side at the pole end, thread along the pole. It’s fantastic for big windows, say patio doors etc., or even regular doors too, as long as it’s not a trip hazard! You can also make these fit smaller windows by measuring (remember you don’t always need a tape measure; use a bit of string or even your arms spread out) by turning the quilt cover inside out, tacking a seam along the size that you measured, then cutting the excess off (remember to try the curtain before you cut the fabric). You must remember that the seam line is opposite the quilt cover opening. It may sound complicated, but it’s really not; if l can do it, anyone can. If you have a curtain rail, then it’s easier if you have header tape, but I’ve seen it where strong paper clips were used to hook the fabric onto the track. Really, it’s about using thick material at the windows and doors to stop heat escaping and to keep you cosy.
If you like more tailored advice or would like to learn more about the benefits of thermal curtains, please contact us today.
Written by Lynn