Energy Efficient Skylight Options!

Things Are
Looking Up!

SKYLIGHT WINDOW COVERINGS
PROVIDE YEAR-ROUND
ENERGY EFFICIENCY! 

With predictions of record high heating costs this winter, you can provide your customers with many ways to increase their energy efficiency.   The United States Department of Energy says that windows in a typical home can account for 10% to 25% of the heating bill!   

This number is even higher when there are skylight windows in the home.

Hunter Douglas Window Fashions from Designer Blinds provide many energy efficient options for all windows that, especially when heating prices are high, can conserve energy and reduce heating and cooling costs considerably.  In many cases the shades or blinds can pay for themselves in just one season.  Skylight shades and blinds can give you the control you need to cut heating bills day and night, all year long.

Should Skylights Be
Covered In Winter?

Fewer skylight window coverings are installed in fall and winter as temperatures cool.  In the summer, the heat can be intense, so homeowners feel more compelled to act.  In winter, though, the heat coming in through a skylight during the day is nice to have, but when the sun goes down, any heating benefits are lost. The heat rises and escapes through the uncovered skylight.  With fewer hours of daylight, the loss of heat at night is greater than whatever is gained during daylight hours. The end result is a higher heating bill. 

Window coverings for skylight windows help to prevent the heat loss at night while still allowing the benefits of free "passive" solar heat during the day. Skylight window coverings can impact heating bills immediately and dramatically. Motorized control can make it even easier to take control.

Popular Skylight Products:

Honeycomb Shades
Honeycomb shades have the ability to trap air, thus making them the most efficient product for skylight systems.  In Hunter Douglas honeycomb shades, Designer Blinds offers two great systems, SkyRise™ and Simplicity™.

SkyRise™
SkyRise™
The manually operated version of SkyRise is available on Duette Originals™, Duette Manhattan and Applause™ Shades.  Adjustments to SkyRise shades can be made on the floor --away from the window, making for easy snap-in installation.   In Duette Originals and Duette Manhattan™, motorized operation is available with either remote control or wall switch operation. Manual SkyRise shades are operated by reaching up into the window with an extendable pole and moving the shade to the desired position. All SkyRise shades are built with a special heavy duty coated aircraft cable that does not stretch or deteriorate under extreme conditions.  SkyRise is the best option for shades that will be operated frequently, larger skylight openings, and for motorized operation. 

Simplicity™
At first look, Simplicity shades are very similar to SkyRise --but while manual operation of the shades is the same they are built and installed differently.  Simplicity shades are a great solution for common skylight sizes.  It installs easily with only a few minor adjustments that need to be made at the window.  Like manually operated SkyRise shades it is operated with an extendable pole.  Simplicity is a reliable skylight system that can be fit comfortably into any budget.

Brilliance Pleated Shades
The Brilliance Pleated Shade skylight shade uses the same components as the Simplicity system used for honeycomb shades.  Backings can be added to the shades for increased light blocking.  It, too, is operated by a extendable pole.

Horizontal Blinds
Often overlooked, Hunter Douglas Aluminum Horizontal Blinds make a great way to control light and energy at the same time.  Available with manual tilt-only operation or relatively inexpensive tilt-only motorization.  Blinds are easily installed with all installation adjustments made at the window.  Slightly differing systems are used, depending on the size of the window.  The slat position is adjusted on manually operated blinds with a detached wand.  Motorized tilt control has wall switch operation only.  The motors are powered either by batteries or by a regulated low-voltage power supply.

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