The Best Fabrics for Thermal Drapery
If you have poorly insulated windows in your home, you know that your windows can play a vital part in keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. If your windows aren’t insulated properly, you may find that your home gets very cold during the winter months. After all, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, up to 25% of your heating cost will literally go out the window.
Layering Is Key
One of the best types of curtains to look into if you’re looking to keep more heat in your home is three-layer drapes. These types of drapes typically have two linings made of the main fabric, one facing into the room and one facing the window, with a layer in between made of heavyweight cotton flannel. This combination of fabrics is great if you want to keep the heat in your room while also letting some light pass through the drapery.
If you don’t mind getting a little less light into your room, the blackout lining on blackout curtains can also work well for keeping your windows insulated!
You Can Do It Yourself
While we recommend hiring a professional to make sure the job gets done right on the first try, it’s also easy to DIY a thermal window treatment for yourself. For example, you can purchase pre-made blackout liners to attach to the window side of whatever curtains you currently have.
If you want your room to be even darker than it would be with typical blackout curtains, give a French Blackout a try! This is achieved by using heavy black flannel between the decorative and lining fabrics of your curtains, producing a full blackout.
Caring for your Thermal Window Treatments
The fabric you chose for your thermal lining may ultimately depend on how you plan on cleaning and maintaining your drapery. For example, cotton flannel should be prewashed before being added to your window treatment, and typically requires dry cleaning afterward to prevent shrinking.
On the contrary, most blackout linings should not be dry cleaned and are considered “wash only”. This means that if you decide on using a blackout lining, you’ll need to make sure the other fabrics you’re using won’t need to be dry cleaned.
As always, Carmen’s Custom Window Treatments is here to help! If you’re looking to upgrade your curtains to help you stay warm this winter, you can visit our website or give us a call today!