Best Window Treatments for North, South, East and West-Facing Windows

Hunter Douglas Duette® Architella® with PowerView® Motorization. Fabric/Material: Batiste Semi-Sheer. Color: Desert Sands.

Did you know?

Direct sunlight entering through windows can dramatically raise the temperature of your home. This additional heat can hurt your efforts to keep your space cool during summer and support your efforts to keep your space warm during winter.

Because we know that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, there is a predictable pattern by which the most intense light beams pass through your home. Homeowners can use this awareness when purchasing window treatments for greater energy savings.

Let’s take a look at how to choose window treatments for windows facing each cardinal direction.

North

North facing windows allow cold air to seep into your home which can be a big problem in the chilly winter months. The most effective window treatments that minimize cold air infiltration include Hunter DouglasDuette® Honeycomb Shades. Their innovative cellular construction traps air in distinct pockets to help keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

South

All through the year, south facing windows allow sunlight and heat in, helping to keep your home warm in the winter. However, it is important to choose window treatments that can protect furnishings from being damaged by direct sunlight because during the winter, the sun is in the south skies all day long.

South-facing windows could benefit from window treatments that provide UV protection and reduce glare, or heavy, opaque treatments for better protection against heat loss.

East

Windows that face east let in sunlight that is warm and luminous, but the brightness from direct eastern sunlight can cause damage to wood furnishings and fabrics. Using light-diffusing window treatments can help limit the brightness while still providing UV protection and allowing the light into the home.

In addition to extra brightness, east-facing windows also let in more heat due to high solar gain in the mornings. This solar gain can be beneficial during the winter but in the summer it can make your home too warm.

East-facing windows are ideal for window treatments that help limit the effects of solar heat gain, providing what is called solar heat control. These window treatments can be opened later in the day when the sunlight is less intense.

Hunter DouglasSilhouette® Window Shadingshave been the leader in light diffusion for over 25 years. The specially crafted fabrics transform harsh sunlight into beautiful ambient light, creating a soft glow in your home.

Learn more about theTop 3 Benefits of Light Diffusing Window Treatments.

Hunter Douglas Silhouette® Shadings. Fabric/Material: India Silk. Color: Sparkling Water.

West

The sunlight that enters a home from the west is the warmest and has the biggest effect on the temperature inside the home. Using window treatments such as Hunter Douglas Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ Shutters on west-facing windows should help limit heat gain.

Palm Beach Polysatin Shutters are plantation style shutters that are specifically designed to tolerate the heat. They combine the look of a designer painted shutter with the toughness of a UV-resistant Polysatin compound. They are guaranteed to not warp, fade, crack, discolor, peel or chip.

Hunter Doulgas Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ Shutters. Fabric/Material: Polysatin™. Color: Bright White.

Adding Automation

For additional energy savings, Hunter Douglas’ PowerView® motorized operating system enables homeowners to program an automated open and close schedule based on the positioning of the sun throughout the day.

As the sun moves from the highest point in the sky down towards the horizon, the angle of the sun ray that needs to be blocked for visual comfort and energy savings will adjust throughout the day. Luckily, your window treatments can also adjust throughout the day without you having to lift a finger!

By utilizing open-close schedules on a window-by-window basis, you can block out sun in just the right ways to keep your home cool during the summer and warmer during winter, all while enjoying natural light from the other windows in the room if desired.

Check out the 10 Ways Motorizes Shades Make Life Easier.

Hunter Douglas’s Vignette® Tiered™ Modern Roman Shades. Fabric/Material: Newport Linen. Color: Coronado. Opacity: Translucent.

When choosing new window treatments for your home, make sure to take the orientation of each window into account. Picking the right window treatments can help you better control the temperature within your home for lower heating and cooling bills.

Learn more:

• How to Lower Your Energy Bill with Window Treatments
  
• 3 Ways Energy Efficient Window Treatments can Save You Money

Want to do a little more research before scheduling a consultation? Evaluate our recommended 11 key considerations before purchasing window treatments.