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Keeping Cooler

Overheating in homes is becoming a common problem – using blinds and shutters can keep you and your home cooler

Warmer summers and better insulated homes mean that the sun’s rays enter through glazing, then become trapped in the home as they are unable to escape back through the window. Consequently, the building heats up in a manner similar to the Greenhouse Effect. 

The Zero Carbon Hub’s report Overheating in Homes – The Big Picture (2015) says that overheating is occurring in up to 20% of all homes in England – and the problem is expected to become more prevalent in the future, due to hotter summers.

The report also identifies double-glazed windows with low-e coatings (designed to keep heat in during the winter) as one of the five causes of overheating in homes, as this glazing prevents unwanted heat from escaping during the summer.

What can you do?

Blinds, awnings and shutters can help prevent excessive heat gain by blocking or reflecting the sun’s rays. External shading is best for summer heat rejection, as it prevents the sun’s radiation from even reaching the window. However, internal blinds can also help keep your home cooler – this is especially true of materials that have a reflective finish facing the window.

Another key factor in reducing internal temperatures is to remove the hot air by ventilation.

See our videos: How the sun affects us and How external shading can help keep your home cooler.

Overheating is a very common problem with conservatories and sun rooms – for more information, see our page on conservatory comfort

Don’t forget that automation using temperature sensors and other environmental controls can help ensure that your blinds and shutters are always in the correct position. More information here.

You can see more resources on the links on the right hand side of this page or you could always contact your local BBSA member for expert advice.

Keeping Cooler
Looking to improve occupant comfort and productivity and reduce costs?

Contact your local BBSA solar shading expert now.

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