Do Window Coverings Keep a Texas Room Cooler?

Yes, a window covering can keep a Texas room cooler, and it does it by stopping sunlight at the glass before it turns into heat inside the room. How much it helps depends on the window, the covering and whether you close it before the sun arrives.

Why a Sunny Window Heats a Room

Glass lets sunlight in easily. That light lands on a rug, a sofa or a hardwood floor, and those surfaces warm up and release the heat into the air. So the problem is not only a hot pane. It is the sun getting into the room at all.

A covering helps by catching or reflecting some of that light before it reaches the room. The U.S. Department of Energy describes window attachments as a way to reduce heat gain in summer when they are closed against sun-facing glass. The details vary a lot by product and by window.

Which Windows Matter Most

In North Texas the worst offenders are west-facing windows in the afternoon and south-facing windows through the middle of the day. A two-story great room with tall west glass can feel like a greenhouse by four o'clock. Our post on window treatments for west-facing windows goes deeper on that exposure.

North-facing windows get far less direct sun. If one room in your house always feels fine, check which way its glass faces before you spend money there.

How Different Coverings Handle Summer Heat

Each type works a little differently, so the right one depends on how you use the room.

• Cellular shades. The honeycomb cells trap a layer of air against the window, which slows heat moving through. We explain the idea in how cellular shades insulate a window.
• Solar screen shades. The fabric is rated by openness factor. A lower openness blocks more sun and gives less view, and a higher openness lets in more of both.
• Plantation shutters. Tilted louvers can shade the room while still moving light and air through the panels, and a closed shutter adds a solid barrier at the window.
• Lined drapery. A lined panel drawn across the glass adds a thick layer of fabric, and a lighter lining color tends to reflect more sun.

Inside coverings do not stop all the heat. The sun still strikes the glass first, so the space between the glass and the covering gets warm. That is a normal limit of any interior product, and it is why the choice of fabric and how fully it closes both matter.

Timing Does More Than You Would Expect

A shade that is closed at noon keeps the sun off the floor all afternoon. A shade you close at five has already let the room soak up hours of heat. The simplest habit is to shade west and south windows before the sun reaches them.

That is hard to keep up with a tall window or a busy week. Motorized shades can lower on a schedule or from your phone, and battery motors suit most retrofits without an electrician. Cordless and motorized options also remove dangling cords, which helps in homes with kids and pets.

What to Expect From the Results

We won't promise a specific drop in your electric bill, because it depends on your windows, your air conditioner, your landscaping and how you use the house. What you can usually expect is a room that feels less harsh in the afternoon, with less glare on the TV and less sun on your floors. Texas sun also fades rugs and furniture, which is a second reason to shade the glass.

What Sheila Checks at the Consultation

At the free in-home consultation, Sheila looks at which way each window faces, how tall it is, how much sun hits the floor and when. She measures the actual windows in your actual light, then recommends a covering that fits the room and how you live in it. Everything is custom-made to the window and installed for you.

Blinds and shades usually take 2 to 3 weeks from order to installation. Plantation shutters typically take 6 to 8 weeks, sometimes longer in a busy season. The exact timeline is confirmed the day you place the order. If you are in Frisco, start with our page on window treatments in Frisco, or book a free consultation and Sheila will come to you.