Winterizing Your Home: How To Prepare Your Windows For The Cold Weather
BWS Design • September 23, 2016

Summer has come to an end and the first hints of Fall are in the air. While the cooler temperatures feel good at the beginning of the season, they’ll soon drop to uncomfortable levels as Winter approaches. This is the perfect time of the year to start thinking about winterizing your home so you and your family stay cozy warm. One of the first, and most important areas to begin preparing for the cold weather is your windows. By employing some simple strategies, you can reduce cold drafts, maintain interior temperatures and even reduce your heat related energy use.

Insulated Window Coverings

Dressing your windows with insulated window coverings is one of the simplest ways to prepare them for cold weather. This might bring to mind images of heavy drapes that darken the room, hung high upon the window frame. Although drapes are one option, they are by no means the only option for insulated window coverings. You can also install cellular shades that offer an incredible amount insulation, in both hot and cold climates. A variety of blinds are also available that can be applied under draperies, or alone. What’s more, the types of materials, colors, patterns and sizes available are limited only by your imagination since most are custom made to your specs.

Repair or Replace

A key factor in any window’s performance is how well it has been maintained. If your windows are broken or if the panes of glass rattle in the frames, it’s time to consider replacements. This is especially the case in older homes that have single pane, wood frame windows. While these original windows look great, they’re not well insulated, meaning that heat loss is inevitable. Newer, double pane vinyl windows often have gas between the panes that helps to repel heat and cold, thus offering a higher insulation value.

Weather Striping

Take a good look at your windows and doors, and pay close attention to how tight they close. Are you noticing small spaces that are allowing air to flow in, or out, of your home? Check the point where the two portions of the window meet and look for an obvious gap. Any areas around your windows that do not seal properly should be treated with a simple weather striping. This easy to find, inexpensive material is applied by peeling and sticking, and can be cut with a pair of scissors. Be sure to treat all of your exterior doors in the same manner to assure they’re sealed tightly.

Calking and Sealing

One of the easiest things to overlook when it comes to your windows is the seal that is formed on the exterior of your home. This is where the window sill and frame attach and it’s a prime location for air leaks to occur. Take the time to fill in any gaps around the exterior of your windows with a silicone calk and be sure to check the entire perimeter of the window. Continue this treatment around the doorways as well. This is also a good time to seal up other areas of your home such as water and gas line entry points and any other holes or openings that you find.

Get Creative

Sometimes, you simply cannot replace the existing windows in your home because it’s a rental, or it may be too expensive. You can still do a few things to assure your windows won’t let you down this Winter. You could install plastic sheeting to the insides of the windows which creates a dead air space, thus increasing the window’s insulation value. Kits are available at a variety of locations such as hardware stores, national department stores and big box stores. The best part is they’re fairly inexpensive, and they’re surprisingly effective. What’s more, they’re incredibly easy to install and can be used on any size or type of window.

We hope you enjoy the beautiful Fall weather that’s on the way, but don’t get too comfortable, Winter is not far behind. If you’d like to learn more about winterizing your home, and preparing your windows for colder weather, please contact us. Our experts welcome the opportunity to help you find ways to keep your home comfortable for you and your loved ones.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

5 Ways to Beat the Summer Heat With Eye-Catching Window Treatments

June 18, 2025
When the mercury soars, never underestimate the power of blinds, shades, and other window treatments to keep your living space cool. With the techniques that follow, you can limit demand on your air conditioner, lower your energy bill, and maintain stunning aesthetics both inside and out. 1. Go For the Layered Look If you don't want blackout blinds that completely block out light and heat, consider layering your window treatments for the summer months. This is a great way to add depth and texture to your rooms while still maintaining a tight home envelope and limiting solar heat gains. Use wood or faux wood blinds to create a solid base layer. Then, add sheers and custom curtains to finish the look. Layering creates levels of flexibility and adaptability that single window treatments cannot match. You can close all three layers for maximum heat blocking, slant your blinds and close your sheers to let limited sunlight in, or open your drapes and your blinds and use your sheers for light filtering. 2. Beat the Heat With Outdoor Window Treatments Some of the best window treatments for blocking heat and light during the summer months belong on the outside of your home. If you haven't done so already, consider investing in shutters. Shutters can vastly improve the efficiency of your home while providing excellent UV ray protection. This will keep your flooring and furnishings from fading while offering a fair amount of skin protection. In addition to tightening home envelopes, shutters provide excellent noise reduction and offer added protection against the natural elements. With your shutters standing guard as your home's first defense, you'll still have one or more window treatments at the interior of the building during the next big heat wave. Outdoor Shades Work, Too If shutters aren't the right look for you, opt for lightweight, retractable shades. Installing outdoor shades gives you yet another way to safeguard your home from solar heat gains whenever temperatures spike. You can use outdoor shades with layered indoor window treatments to create an airtight space and reduce stress on your AC during the hottest portion of the day. Once the sun sets, you can easily draw them open. 3. Optimize Airflow According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air can be up to five time more contaminated than outdoor air. Even though air conditioners and heat pumps filter the indoor air during operation, they don't extract volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or other gaseous chemical contaminants. When the sun's out and you're running your air conditioner non-stop, all the contaminants introduced into your home by off-gassing building materials, cooking, room freshening sprays, and chemical-laden self-care products and cleaners remain trapped indoors. Blinds are great for optimizing airflow. When the sun sets, the mercury dives, and a cool breeze rolls in, you can turn your blind slats upwards to reflect light from the setting sun and slightly crack your windows. This technique works well for giving ACs an early evening break. It's also an excellent strategy for improving indoor air quality (IAQ). As natural light decreases, you can open your blind slats wider and let more fresh, outdoor air flow in. This easy air exchange will get your home and your IAQ ready for the challenges of the next sweltering day. 4. Keep Indoor Moisture in Check With Shades With a high-functioning air conditioner or heat pump, you'll get reliable humidity regulation whenever your cooling system is on. The right shades can support this by keeping outdoor moisture outside and preventing the buildup of condensation on your windows. Cellular shades are made for high-moisture areas, and they're the perfect addition to any other southern home. You can get similar benefits from faux wood blinds, vinyl blinds, and aluminum blinds. Moisture-resistant blinds or shades are an essential upgrade if you currently have heavy fabric drapes or multiple layers of sheers. Some materials capture and retain moisture. They're also prone to problems like mold and mildew and can lower IAQ as a result. 5. Go Motorized Don't worry about dragging your ladder out to draw your outdoor shades or running through your home to manually adjust your blinds. Shop for motorized window treatments that you can open, close, and adjust with just the touch of a button. This way, as lighting and temperatures change, you can quickly adapt your window treatments to reflect your most current needs. At Just Blinds, we're all about comfort. We want your window treatments to look amazing, but believe that you should feel amazing too. We offer a fantastic selection of blinds, shutters, shades, and custom draperies to help our clients beat the heat in the summer months . Let us help you stay cool in style. To speak with our design consultants, contact Just Blinds today!

How to Use Windows to Make Your Home Cozier

May 29, 2025
Windows give a home warmth, light, and a view of the outside world. But with the right treatments, you can also use your windows to make your home feel cozy. Coziness is a semse of comfort and familiarity. It defines a charm that feels like home, whether it's the coziness of a warm room in winter, your movie den in the summer. When we think of coziness, we often think of couches, candles, and throw blankets. But your windows play an equally important part. After all, it's your window treatments that frame the light, add softness to your walls, and set the mood for every room. The right window decorations can make your home feel warm and inviting. Using Windows, Drapes, and Shades to Create Coziness  Window treatements create a vibe for your entire room. Drapes, shades, and shutters can be used to create a backdrop of texture, color, and style. They also allow you to control the light levels in your home and even the color of the light. This means that your windows are the best place to start when making a room feel cozy. Layering soft drapes in rich colors is a great way to add that sense of comfort and warmth to a room, while cheerful blinds in soft neutrals can help a room to feel relaxed and welcoming. You can also use drapes or blinds to add a splash of color as a bold accent in any room. These touches combined with glowing sunshine during the day create a cozy and comfortable space. Plants as Cozy Window Decor You can use other types of decor to evoke a sense of coziness, too. We particularly love plants. Leafy green plants love the sunshine as much as you do and thrive when placed in a sunny window. Place an elegant snake plant in the windowsill or hang creeping ivy from a hook near the top of a window frame to make your room feel cheerful and alive with green energy. Plants make a home feel natural and vibrantly lived-in which is perfect for your cozy vibe. For a cozy kitchen, you can even grow fresh herbs in a box on the windowsill that add a delicious aroma and tasty fresh seasoning along with their natural visual appeal. Enhance Your Space with Aromatherapy Speaking of aromatics, you might be surprised how much your windows can take part in cozy aromatherapy. Window treatments like drapes and blinds are fabric that can help purfumes and essential oils linger in the room for days. Cozy scents are often warm aromas like cinnamon, vanilla, lavender, almonds, and coffee. But fresh fruit or floral scents that smell like "home" to you can also add a sense of coziness to each room. Simply spritz your curtains with your favorite scents and each room will subtly carry that comforting smell of home that makes you want to snuggle into the couch and relax at the end of each day. Moody Shade and Maximizing Light When we visualize coziness, light levels often play a role. Your minds eye may see a sun-drenched cottage or a gently lit library as your mental idea of a room that is perfectly cozy. Window treatments allow you to set the mood by reducing or maximizing light to the perfect levels. Well-designed shades and drapes can pull back attractively to maximize light, bathing your room in the warm welcoming glow of sunshine. Or if you prefer a more relaxed coziness, you can use translucent drapes or cellular shades to filter the light exactly the right amount. Diffuse and reduced light filtered through fabric of a warm color can make you feel safe and at peace. Increase Your Happiness with Window Design Your home should feel welcoming, relaxing, and cozy. The right window treatments can help set the stage for a delightful welcome home each night, rejuvinating weekends, and an overall feeling of at-home coziness when you are relaxing in your favorite place. To achieve this goal, you can experiment with home decor changes, including your windows, to achieve your ideal at-home bliss. Contact us today for custom drapes and blinds to complete your cozy room design.