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Increase Your Energy Efficiency With Plantation Shutters


Cooling and heating your entire home can be an expensive undertaking. An energy department report from July 2012 indicates that while the price of natural gas has gradually decreased since 1984 - making it cheaper for utilities to produce electricity - these savings aren't being carried over to the consumer. In fact, U.S. electricity prices are going up. These inflated prices have caused many people to seek out ways to make their homes more energy efficient.

Windows Create Energy Leaks
Poorly insulated windows and doors cause the biggest energy wastes in a home, significantly raising heating costs. It is estimated that energy loss through windows alone accounts for up to 35 percent of your heating bill. You can spot drafts in your home by holding a flame or thread up near doors and windows, tracking the level of movement to see where energy is escaping the most. Selecting energy-efficient window treatments is one way to counteract this expensive energy loss. In this regard, one of the most functional and attractive options on the market is plantation shutters. Once properly fitted to a window, they provide an insulating pocket of air between the glass and interior of your home.

Increased Efficiency Through Higher R-value
When selecting an energy-saving window treatment, R-value becomes an important indicator for energy savings and insulation capability. R-value is a measure of thermal resistance used by the building and construction industry. It is a standardized rating system that indicates the ability to resist heat and air conditioning loss of transfer. The Smart Energy Alliance reports that wooden plantation shutters have R-values between 2.77 and 3.17, nearly doubling the insulating capabilities of a standard, double-paned glass window.
Wood and vinyl plantation shutters are both effective insulators. However, wood is slightly better at resisting temperature conductivity. Since the shutters fit snuggly in the window frames, they also limit the transfer of heat through air movement or convection. This is what forms the insulating barrier between outdoor temperatures and the interior temperature of your house.

Energy Savings and Cost Effectiveness
Though the installation of plantation shutters is higher upfront than other window treatments, it truly pays off over the years in the form of energy savings. A typical house with 15 windows featuring these green window treatments can achieve an average annual savings of $150. Within about 15 years, plantation shutters have paid for themselves in energy savings and increased the value of your home. Besides reducing energy costs, some window coverings qualify for an energy-efficiency tax credit. The credit offers a 30 percent rebate on the cost of the coverings (minus installation costs) up to $1,500.

Shannon Hodges is Director of Marketing at Eclipse Shutters. Eclipse Shutters is an Atlanta-based custom shutter provider with a network of licensed fabricators around the country. Their company has grown to become the number one shutter selling company in North America and largest manufacturer of tailor-made plantation shutters. Eclipse Shutters was established in 1992 and offers customers fast delivery and a 25-year warranty. Learn more about plantation window shutters at http://www.eclipseshutters.com/about-eclipse-shutters.html.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Hodges



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Quality Blinds, Shutters, & Shades
Proudly Serving Southern California since 1994
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(951) 924-9435


A Beginner's Guide In Prestigious Textiles Roman Blinds


Hunter Douglas Roman blinds
These days, the use of roman blinds at home has become inevitable. Homeowners find ways to optimize their home using the most elegant accessories. In particular, blinds can provide the best looks at home that the family will surely love. For those who are just getting started in home improvement scheme, it is important to understand what blinds are. In this article, you will know the importance of roman blinds and some of the best kinds such as prestigious textiles roman blinds that can provide the best appearance at home.
Particularly, roman blinds are window blinds that are made from fabric designed to fold into pleats when it is raised. It is popular because of the wide range of interior design schemes to choose from Many stores specializing in home improvement has this type of blinds for their customers. Also, other stores offer the blinds according to the liking of their clients. Custom products will likewise have special features like unique and more elegant fabrics.

How Roman Blinds Are Being Manufactured?
These types of blinds are being made by having a soled fabric panel. Then, slats will be mounted into its back. These slats are linked to cords that pull the slats altogether when the blind is raised. As a result the fabric will be fold into pleats. In the UK, there are several stores that offer custom-made blinds for clients who want to incorporate their own style in the fabric.

In addition, fabrics that are being used in these kinds of blinds can vary from one another. The most commonly used textiles these days are silk, cotton, and hemp. On the other hand, synthetics can be used as well. Likewise, there are companies that add up liners to their blinds to get insulation and block light coming from the outside. Homeowners should also know that blinds can be used outdoors. Patios can be covered with the blinds to control temperature and light.

Homeowners can tremendously take advantage of these blinds most especially during summer. They can enjoy staying outdoors without having any troubles like the harmful rays from the sun. When buying roman blinds, it is important to choose the ones that will fit perfectly at home. In particular, prestigious textiles roman blinds will let homeowners have the freedom to select the best for their home. There are endless selections of fabrics to choose from, which is why they will never run out of options. From these fabrics, they will surely get the most amazing looks for their home.

How To Purchase Roman Blinds
Today, there are several methods that can help homeowners purchase roman blinds without any hassles. Several online stores are by now offering home improvement items for a very affordable price. These online stores will likewise provide free fabric samples for their clients who want to check the fabrics personally. Overall, blinds are among the best home accessories that everyone can include in their home improvement scheme. It offers elegance and sophistication to every home, which is why homeowners will never go wrong in having it.

Prestigious textiles roman blinds can provide amazing ways to let homeowners enhance their home with the best level of elegance. To know more deals in choosing the best roman blinds, take a look at this website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_Saver


Blinds 4 Less
Quality Blinds, Shutters, & Shades
Proudly Serving Southern California since 1994
Free In-Home Shopping
(951) 924-9435


Bespoke Designs for Your Windows


A lot of us see ourselves as great DIY professionals when it comes to doing up our homes or offices. No doubt that there is one family member who when the word DIY is mention jumps to their feet and offers to give the job needed doing a go. They will then after a few hours of being locked away somewhere re-emerge with some sort of strange contraption that looks nothing like you wanted or needed. Despite the need of us as humans to want to create some household furnishings are best left to those with the professions to create these products.

The manufacturing of blinds is something which requires a great deal of care and professionalism and it is a very popular necessity for most households and other buildings such as apartment complexes or office buildings. Blinds can range from very complex designs such as wooden venetian blinds to more relatively simpler designs such as just plain simple vertical blinds. The blind manufacturing trade has been around for quite some time however only recently it is starting to grow and expand extremely quickly as it is becoming a lot more popular. A lot of people do not consider the amount of design and manufacturing that does go into their finished product, But a lot of blinds are tailored and made specifically for customers who want their blinds a specific colour or style. A lot of thought also has to go into the sizing of blinds, not every window is exactly the same size so all blinds are different lengths and widths so that they fit specifically for certain people's windows. This can make the process highly tricky for manufacturers which prove that the job requires a lot of skill and understanding.

Most manufacturers will ask you to measure all of the inside of your windows before ordering so that to ensure that the blind fits perfectly into your window which will help the manufacturer to avoid any errors or gaps when the tailor made product is installed and fixed into your window. When installing a blind, wall brackets are the first thing that is placed in position so that the blinds have some sort of support and then the frame which the blinds will hang from will need securing into place onto the brackets. This DIY technique seems simple enough and is a minor step in the long process of a blinds design and creation.

The process of manufacturing blinds is of course far more complicated than picking up a flat pack from IKEA and following the instruction leaflet, as blinds are often unique and made specifically for a certain person or companies windows and not all windows are the same size or shape. Blinds also use a lot of different materials from aluminum to wood and commonly very sturdy fabrics. Also the more flimsy fabrics are used such as nylon or cotton. A manufacturer will often work with direct requirements that they are given to by their customer for example the measurements, material, what the blind is exactly being used for and placement of the blinds that are being created.

The profession of trade manufacture of blinds often seek out wholesalers and stores as their main customers but they also provide for individuals who maybe want them for their office or own home. As the whole manufacturing process for individual orders is so bespoke the need for good quality and in many cases correct quantity is of the upmost importance making the job something that is extremely important in today's trade markets.

Chan Ghand owner of local Leicester blinds company Colourful blinds, suppliers and vertical blind manufacturers UK and roller blinds. We supply to traders across the country visit our website or please contact Colourful blinds trade direct.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chan_Ghand



Blinds 4 Less
Quality Blinds, Shutters, & Shades
Proudly Serving Southern California since 1994
Free In-Home Shopping
(951) 924-9435



Celebrity Homes: Holiday Decorating From the Stars



Check out these star-studded design and entertaining ideas from the homes of Kathie Lee Gifford, Jewel and Holly Robinson Peete. We've got your first look at the HGTV special that's brimming with good cheer.

By Leslie Judson


101 Holiday Decorating Ideas






Our biggest guide ever is packed with clever tricks and chic tips to spread plenty of cheer.