Room Darkening Vs Blackout Curtains – Effective for Temperature Control
One of the primary qualities we look for in window treatments is their ability to control temperature and keeping things cozy and comfortable in our homes. We can customize them to make sure they fit our needs and the needs of our home. For instance, let us assume you buy a sheer curtain for its light filtering capabilities. You get lots of light in your room, and that is what you always wanted. However, now the temperatures have increased, and the fabric isn’t thick enough to avoid the heat that comes in. What do you do? Either you can replace the curtain with a thicker room darkening one, or add an extra layer of material to it that does the job. Now you have choices and can use either layer whenever you want.
Room Darkening Vs Blackout Curtains
The room darkening vs blackout curtains is a distinction that has a thin line separating both types of window treatments. The purpose of creating both of them is almost the same: privacy and heat control. However, while room darkening curtains allow a small amount of light to pass through, blackout curtains are so designed to create pitch black darkness when they are drawn shut. They are meant to give you absolute privacy and allow for unperturbed sleep.
Blackout curtains are meant to block 100% of the sun’s rays, also preventing you against the sharp glare and ultraviolet radiation that threatens to negatively affect or skin and damage other items in the house. Blackout curtains are ideal choices for window treatments as well as for lining up outside rooms in areas such as nurseries, media rooms, studios, and conference halls where there is a high demand for minimal outside disturbance.
Why Blackout Curtains Are Effective in Temperature Control
Blackout curtains, besides their advantages in temperature control, are beautiful window treatments that many homes still go for with their perfect amalgamation of the traditional and contemporary. They give out a classy and stylish vibe. Here are the reasons why blackout thermal blinds are more advantageous than room darkening curtains in beating the heat:
1) Use of Thicker and Heat-Resistant Fabric
Fiberglass is a material that is commonly used in curtains across the world because of its obvious advantages in noise canceling and heat resistance. It is made by adding tiny strands of glass into insulating materials. Other than fiberglass, suede, silk, cellulose, polyester, mineral wool and polyurethane foams are other materials that can be used in creating blackout curtains. With all these materials in place, curtains can be extremely effective in not just keeping the indoors cool and cozy but also in keeping your high electricity costs at bay.
2) No need for any additional layer of material
Even in room darkening curtains, there’s a good chance of some amount of light to pass through, which might make it difficult to enjoy a peaceful sleep if you are a third shift worker or have come back home after a long and tiring journey. Instead of having another layer of fabric added between your curtains, it’s better to replace your room darkening curtains with a blackout fabric, which ensures 100% darkness.
3) Advantageous for Security
Sometimes we might have uninvited guests or peeping neighbors who would like to get a good look inside our house. Blackout curtains can come in handy to ward off these peeping Toms while you dial 911 if they get a little too close for comfort. When they are drawn all the way, the interiors are not visible to the outsiders at all.
4) For Letting in An Appropriate Amount of Sunlight When Desired
Whenever you wish for some natural sunlight inside, simply open them partially or completely. There is always that option available to you.
To sum up, blackout curtains are certainly more helpful than room darkening curtains if the main reason you want to go for them is 100% privacy and sun control. While room darkening curtains do their job well enough to protect us from heat, light, and sound, blackout curtains go one step ahead with their 100% opacity levels. They are certainly more effective in that regard and your ideal choice. However, one thing to note here is that these curtains require constant care and maintenance. They come with sensitive materials such as suede, silk, and fiberglass, so simply wiping them off with a regular cloth or washing and ironing them may damage their material. It is necessary to consult an expert of your manufacturer for care instructions. Read the instructional manual carefully before handling them.
