Automated Window Shades – More than Privacy
When it comes to shades and blinds on your house, most people think that the reason you have shades or blinds is for privacy.
And while that is true, closing your shades at night, or during the day, goes a long way to helping save on your energy bills.
In addition to looking amazing (Like Lutron’s Palladiom line of window shades), and keeping prying eyes from looking in, window shades, and especially automated window shades, can save you hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, over the lifetime of those shades.
Savings with Automated Window Shades
A study from this is money, and energy house, has shown that closing blinds at night during cold periods can reduce heat loss by as much as 17%. The same is true for hot Houston nights, where you are paying to air condition your house.
Simply closing the shades can keep significantly more of that expensive air conditioning in your house, rather than seeping out through the windows.
On days that have warmer temps (which is about 9-10 months of the year here in The Woodlands and Conroe), closing the shades, even partially, when the sun is out and shining into a home, can help to prevent excess heat from coming into the house.
Daytime use of shades also helps air conditioning to stay inside the house, where it belongs, helping you stay comfortable.
In addition to saving money on your electricity bills, shades can also prolong the life of your air conditioner and furnace.
But why automated shades? I’m not lazy!
If you’re anything like me, you’re busy. The idea of going around the house everyday, sometimes several times a day, opening and closing shades, adjusting my schedule to the sun or outside temperature, isn’t really feasible. I’m not lazy. I just have other things to do with my life.
With automated window shades, programs can be set up to handle all of it for me. (Depending on how you set up your shades, and what control you would like to have, the options for what your automation can do are really unlimited.)
And, I’m not totally at the whims of some computer controlling everything for me all the time. With the simple touch of a button, I can override those programs at any time. I can have all of my window shades open, all of my window shades closed. Or, I can set a scene within an app to open or close my shades to my preferences. (We have even connected shades to.Amazon Alexa and Google Home. This lets the automated window shades can be controlled with voice commands.)
Warning! Toxic material(s) in automated window shades?
There are some companies that are making shades that include PVC with phthalates. This is a common additive companies sometimes use to save money. But it can also be toxic.
Sometimes, companies will also add flame retardant additives in order to help protect you in case of fire.
However, those same additives can be toxic, and get into the air in your home. They have also been shown in studies to cause issues and pregnant women and young children.
So, rather than buying the cheapest option, or the shades that everyone else is buying, be sure you talk with someone who is knowledgeable.
Avoid having toxic chemicals installed your home. Get some help choosing the right automated window shades for your home (and your preferences).
Where can I see automated window shades in action?
Thanks for asking!
Below, you can see a video in which we demonstrate app controlled automated window shades. These are currently controlled by the Savant app in the Lighthouse Technologies demonstration home.
More Automated Window Blinds in Conroe
Want to learn more about automated window shades? You can also ask us any questions about your home technology.
