The Most Effective Types of Blinds and Shutters

While they can be turned to control sun exposure and help with cooling by allowing airflow, their open structure makes it hard to control heat loss in cold weather.

According to the US Department of Energy, highly reflective blinds can reduce heat gain by 45 percent when closed and lowered on a sunny day.

Cellular Shades

While they interfere with air circulation, cellular shades, also called honeycomb shades for their honeycomb-shaped cells, have excellent insulation properties. Numerous manufacturers offer single-, double-, or triple-cell cellular shades.

The honeycomb structure of the blind traps air within, blocking out excessive heat or cold and helping to keep interiors warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Exterior Roller Blinds

People are mostly familiar with interior blinds, but there are also exterior blinds that are manufactured for greater weather resistance and durability.

Made of wood, steel, aluminum, or vinyl, exterior roller blinds are mounted above the window and guided by side channels as they’re raised or lowered.

When completely lowered, their slats meet to help block out sunlight and decrease the heat in the room. They must be partially raised to allow air and daylight to enter through windows, which unfortunately also allows for some heat gain.

Interior Shutters

Louvered models of shutters will block some radiation while allowing for natural light to enter and fresh air to circulate around the room, keeping it from getting too hot.

However, like window blinds, louvered shutters on their own don’t provide much barrier against the chill of winter, and they should be used in combination with other window treatments to ward off heat loss when the outside temperature begins to drop.

Solid shutters, however, can provide year-round benefits. When fitted tightly against the window frame, this shutter creates an insulating air space between itself and the window, and when opened in good weather, it still allows for good fresh-air circulation.

Functional Exterior Shutters

Exterior shutters require special mounting, drainage, and hinging to ensure they are properly integrated into the structure of the house.

However, once properly installed, they offer many advantages—including added security and protection from the weather—and since most exterior shutters require their crank or motor to be operated from inside the home, they can be used daily with ease.