Should Blinds be Up or Down During the Summer?

Lately, there’s been a lot of welcomed attention for blinds in the news. With temperatures continuing to increase, ‘how to keep cool’ solutions are being frantically searched for and blinds are at the epicentre of the answers. 

A common question which has risen to the surface is ‘should blinds be up or down during the summer?’ With a maze of responses to get lost in, we thought we’d give you a more direct route to follow, from one of our experts. 

Introducing Laura Aird who'll take it from here. 

“Typically, the advice is to keep your blinds or curtains down or drawn during the warmest parts of the day but, depending on the type of blind you have, there are varying methods for best results.”

“An instant win is to have perfect-fit or made-to-measure blinds installed. Let me explain why…”

Made to Measure Blinds

“Made-to-measure blinds fit your window space to exacting measurements. This is a sure-fire way of keeping light at bay. The less gaps there are for light to poke through, the cooler your environment will be.”

“I’d always advise made-to-measure blinds as opposed to ones ‘off the shelf’, simply because you don’t want to be left with any gaping gaps. It’s a privacy concern too.”

“All of our blinds are made-to-measure and are straight-forward to install. We even have step-by-step instructions available to download in the form of our Measuring guides and Fitting Guides, to make the whole process seamless.” 

“Now that you’ve measured up and received a quote from us, the next step is the style of blind you desire. Again, an obvious solution for blocking out the light would be a blackout blind.”

Blackout Blinds

“Most people are aware that blackout blinds do a great job at keeping daylight out, which is why a lot of people invest in them for bedrooms or games rooms, rooms they’d prefer to keep dark. But the question that then gets raised is ‘do blackout blinds keep the heat out?’. Well, if the light is blocked, a large proportion of the heat is also blocked or contained.”

“So, whether it’s a Roman blackout blind or roller blackout blind, keep them pulled down throughout the hottest part of the day and you’ll notice the difference, for sure. I won’t bore you too much with the technology side of it but the specially designed layer of fabric prevents sun-rays from penetrating through it.” 

“Another form of blind you could consider for keeping your home cooler are thermal blinds…”

Thermal Blinds

“Thermal blinds are championed as a wonderful way of keeping your home warmer throughout the winter but they also work the other way by keeping your house cooler in the summer. Plus, they are a great option for energy efficiency.”

“They work by creating a thermal barrier at your window. The aluminium lining reflects the heat back at the glass and prevents it from warming the air around your window and the air trapped by cellular technology in the blind itself.”

“Again, thermal blinds are available in a variety of styles and work best when pulled down, creating that barrier between your window and blind.”

“When it comes to other types of blinds such as Venetian blinds, the secret is in the slats…”

Blind Slats, Angles & Adjustments 

“The angle and positioning of your blinds’ slats are a simple but super impactful way of reducing the temperature in your room. Take a Venetian blind, for example. Angle the slats down and you are directing warm air and sun rays directly into your home, heating the surrounding surfaces or floors.”

“If you angle your slats upwards, however, not only are you protecting your furnishings from harmful UV rays, but you’re protecting yourself too. So, in this instance, your blinds will be down but the angle of your slats are up. This still allows light into your space but helps control the overall temperature and can be a significant adjustment to your utility bills.”

"The same applies to vertical blinds, but tilt the angles to deflect the sun away from your floor or furniture throughout the day."

Blinds Up or Blinds Down?

“The only argument for having blinds up during a heatwave would be to allow any cool air in through an open window or if the sun is at the other side of the house and you wanted more light in that space, otherwise you’re only inviting the sunlight in”. 

“As mentioned, there are different types of blinds which work in different ways. But if you’re still in doubt, keep your blinds down for an all round cooler experience this summer.”