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Use Drapery to Help Insulate your Home and Save money on The Power Account

Tips for using soft furnishings to reduce heat loss and save your money on heating your home in winter.

Using curtains or drapery is another insulation system that is within the realm of the interior designer.

Be sure to take the drape or curtain all the way to the floor so that there is no air between the drape and the floor / wall that warm air can rise through or cold air can drop through into the room you are insulating.

The heavier the material the better and if you can use a thermal lining (well that speaks for itself).

Try not to be too economical with the use of the fabric and triple width the curtain or drapery. This will help create air pockets as well as force the drape to the edges of the opening, helping seal the window.

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A pelmet and curtains are used here to insulate the window.

A pelmet and curtains are used here to insulate the window.

Another good idea when doing this is to use lead weights to the bottom of the drape so that the material hangs well and doesn't rise and wrinkle.

Window shades to the exterior of the building will help with reducing solar gain to the building through the glazing and reduce the use of air conditioning in those hotter parts of the world.

Other Ways to Create Energy Efficiency

Other ideas to help with the energy efficiency of your home are to extra insulate your hot water cylinder but using a wrap. This is usually a plastic sandwich filled with a dacron inner. It stops the amount of heat lost by older hot water cylinders that weren't previously insulated. (The older copper type).

Using fluorescent bulbs or tubes throughout the home will save a great deal of energy as well and do not need to be replaced as regularly as incandescent bulbs. Be careful on your choice though as some are not very aesthetic to look at and many provide a poor light. You need to get the higher wattage fittings and check the color of the light before you decide to fit out the whole house with them. Experiment a little. A 25 watt fluorescent will give out as much light as a 100 watt incandescent.

Find any leaky taps in the house especially the hot ones and don't delay, fix them or get them fixed by your home handyman or plumber. It will save you a lot as the hot water cylinder is not continually working.

Below is a checklist of the things you can do to make your home more energy efficient:

Insulate floors ceilings and walls wherever possible.
Use window shades to reduce solar gain.
Use drapes or curtains heavy and triple width to stop the thermal movement in and out of the glazing. This can work on very very hot days as well by reducing solar gain.
Double glaze windows if possible.
Seal all doors and windows from drafts.
Block off open fireplaces when not in use.
Use weather strips to the base of all external doors.
Using fans inside the house will circulate warm air and not leave it trapped at the top of the room.
Ventilate the attic - use gable vents.
Repair all leaking taps.
Use timers on electrical equipment e.g. exterior lights.
Insulate the hot water cylinder.
Use your microwave rather than a large oven whenever possible.
Flat bottom pots and pans are more efficient.
Don't overload appliances such as the dryer, dishwasher or clothes washer. These work far more efficiently when used as they are designed.

How to increase energy efficiency.

Diagram and more information on house insulation.

More information on home insulation using glazing.

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