How to make your home a more sustainable space

According to research by English Heritage, 18% of a home’s heat loss is through the windows. So choosing the right window dressing can have a big impact on helping to keep your home insulated. But it’s not just heat loss that window dressings can contend with – in the summer months, windows can be a major source of heat gain too. Finding a window dressing that can tackle both problems will help maintain a more comfortable temperature all year round.

Fully lined curtains are a great way to tackle heat loss. Close them to reduce draughts and block the heat of the sun on very sunny days.

Shutters offer a little more flexibility. They’re effective at reducing draughts and filtering the sunlight but can do this without blocking views and light completely.

Specialist blinds with a honeycomb structure trap heat in honeycomb shaped cells to create a barrier at the window. Duette® blinds, the original honeycomb blinds, are our most effective solution to heat loss, reducing it by 55% according to product tests carried out in the University of Salford’s Energy House Laboratory in 2023.

Learn more about the benefits of our Thermal blinds.

Regular cleaning will help prolong the lifespan of all window dressings, so you won’t need to replace them. There are a few simple steps to follow:

Keep the window area clean – regular vacuuming and dusting will keep dirt to a minimum and stop it transferring to your blinds, curtains or shutters.

Regularly vacuuming and dusting works for most window dressings too. Go gentle and use the lowest setting to prevent damage.

Don’t use water on metal-based products and mechanisms to avoid rusting. A dry cloth is a much better option.

Keep mechanisms running smoothly with silicon spray.

We’ve more detailed cleaning guides for our different blinds, curtains and shutters offering tips and advice to help keep things clean!