As summer approaches, if you are like most people, you start to casually wonder if there are ways to reduce your cooling bill. (Actually, if you are like most people, you do the same thing as winter approaches too).
Well, there might be an option that might help you in both seasons. In addition, if you can’t afford to buy the item outright, if you’re willing to get a little crafty, you can make something just as effective.
Mylar is a material that reflects heat. “The Simple Dollar,” Blogger, Trent Hamm, published a letter one of his readers wrote about making her own Mylar curtains. She lives in Central Florida in a poorly insulated older home. Her summer air conditioning bill was always quite high, and when she priced Mylar curtains, she found she couldn’t afford them.
She goes on to describe the simple method she used to make Mylar curtains for 6 windows in her home and if you follow her instructions, it’s almost impossible to pay more than $5 per 36″ curtain. She shared that she saved $75 during the hottest summer months using this method, but she takes her curtains down in the winter.
However, when you shop for ready-made Mylar curtains online, retailers state that they will keep your home both cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. You might achieve this same effect with your handmade curtains by simply turning them around in the winter to reflect the internal heat. Since the blog reader lives in Central Florida, there’s a chance that her winters are extremely mild, so coming up with a winter solution might not have been a major issue for her.
Ready-made Mylar curtains will run you about $50+ per 36″ window and look quite attractive. Retailers state that their benefits include that they:
- Offer reduced heat and glare in the summer, and increased heat in the winter
- Fit into traditional roller shade or standard blind mounts
- Offer UV ray protection of up to 99.9%
- Offer Transparency, (handmade Mylar shades will make your rooms darker), and
- Provide privacy level control
Hopefully, these tips can save you money and keep your home and office air conditioners and your AC condensers from working too hard, so that they can keep working for you and your family for many years to come! Contact a team member from National Air Warehouse to learn more about the best air control product line in the business.