You may not think that blockout curtains can do all that much for our planet but in addition to helping prevent light from bothering us while we’re trying to nap, they also actually provide some pretty eco-friendly perks. Today we’ll be exploring the environmental benefits of blockout curtains and how installing them in your home can make it more sustainable:
Improve Insulation
The first environmental benefit that blockout curtains offer is that they improve the insulation within the room that they’re installed in. While they obviously can’t perform as well as purpose built insulation, they can protect against heat getting in during Summer and the cold finding its way into your home in Winter thanks to their thick construction and full coverage. By extension, your blockout curtains can also help you use less energy for heating and cooling your home which can further reduce your carbon footprint. This is particularly important (and impressive) when we consider the fact that some studies show that up to 40% of heat loss in a home is attributed to windows, while a whopping figure of almost 90% is thrown around when we discuss the amount of heat entering homes during Summer.
Longer Lifespan
Another way that blockout curtains help improve the sustainability of your home is by reducing your window covering contributions to landfill. Their thicker construction and the other properties that help them prevent light from entering your home when you don’t want it to also allow them to stand up to UV rays and other elements better than other options. This means that your new blockout curtains will last longer and therefore create less waste.
Help Make Passive Design Possible
If you’re looking to create a home that makes use of passive design in order to stay more comfortable year round, blockout curtains should definitely be on your shopping list. Optimising your home for lighting and temperature regulation is great for the environment and by adding in the ability to block light if things are particularly warm out, you further improve your sustainability.
Preserve Indoor Design Elements And Belongings
Finally, your new blockout curtains will also help preserve other indoor design elements as well as the belongings you keep in the room that they’re installed in. This is because UV rays aren’t just harmful to humans, they’re also quite destructive for many common materials. Floors, for example, can fade over time if exposed to direct sunlight for extended periods each day. By the same token, plastic and similar materials will become brittle and break if left in sunlight for too long and natural materials such as cotton aren’t immune either as their colour will slowly decrease thanks to hot Aussie summer sun. By installing blockout curtains, however, you protect all of these elements (as well as any other finishing or decorations you may have in the space) from having to experience the sun all the time, therefore allowing them to live longer lives. Not only does this mean you won’t have to replace things as often, which is great for your budget and reduces your carbon footprint as you won’t be responsible for as many items being manufactured, but it also further reduces the waste output of your home.
While blockout curtains may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about minor alterations that can improve the sustainability of your home, their impact certainly shouldn’t be underestimated. So, if you’re looking to make your home a bit more eco-friendly, consider adding some blockout curtains to key rooms and start enjoying the benefits for the planet (and your back pocket) today.
