Getting Your Windows Ready for an Illinois Winter

When the first real cold front rolls across Central Illinois and Chicagoland, you notice your windows. The chill near the glass, the draft that seems to come from nowhere, the room that never quite warms up. Windows are where a lot of a home’s heat escapes in winter, and the right window treatments can make rooms feel noticeably more comfortable.

Here’s how to get your windows ready.

Why windows feel cold

Even good windows are colder than the walls around them. On a January night, the glass chills the air next to it, and that cool air settles into the room. Older windows let in drafts too. The result is a room that feels colder than the thermostat says, especially if you’re sitting near the window.

Window treatments help by putting a layer between the glass and your room.

Cellular shades: the winter favorite

Cellular shades are made of fabric folded into rows of hollow cells. When the shade is down, those cells trap a pocket of air at the window that acts as insulation, slowing the heat escaping from your room.

• Duette® Honeycomb Shades are the original honeycomb shade, and Hunter Douglas’s most energy-efficient line. Architella® fabrics add a honeycomb within a honeycomb for an extra layer of insulation.
• Applause® Honeycomb Shades offer honeycomb comfort in a wide range of colors and textures.
• Sonnette® Cellular Roller Shades combine a modern roller look with a curved honeycomb profile.

Our full guide, cellular shades and energy efficiency, goes deeper.

Layer drapery for extra warmth

Lined drapery over a shade adds a second layer of insulation, and closing it at night makes a room feel cozier right away. It’s especially nice in bedrooms and living rooms with large windows. See How to Layer Drapery and Shades.

Use the winter sun

Winter sun is low in the sky and reaches deep into a room, and it’s free heat. A simple daily rhythm helps:

• Open shades on sunny days, especially on south-facing windows, to let the sun warm the room.
• Close them at sunset to hold that warmth in overnight.
• Keep north-facing windows covered more of the time, since they get little sun.

Designer tip: Most people forget the second half: closing the shades at dusk. That’s the habit that makes the biggest difference on cold nights, and it’s exactly what a schedule can do for you.

Let automation keep the rhythm

With PowerView® Automation, shades can open in the morning to let in the sun and close automatically at sunset, every day, even when you’re at work or away for the holidays. Many clients set it up once and never think about it again. See our beginner’s guide to motorized shades.

A quick winter checklist

• Lower shades at sunset in every room, or set a schedule.
• Open south-facing shades on sunny days.
• Close drapery at night in bedrooms and living rooms.
• Check for drafts around old windows and consider insulating shades for the worst offenders.
• Replace worn or broken shades that no longer close fully. Our repair team can help too.

Don’t wait for January

Custom window treatments are made to order, so there’s a wait between ordering and installation. The sooner you start, the sooner your rooms will feel warmer. Book a free in-home consultation, or stop by a showroom in Champaign, Normal or Orland Park to feel the difference a cellular shade makes.