After two years of living in our current house, we are still thinking on how we keep our house cool in the summer. It is time for another blog on this subject. This blog helps you to give you an overview when you are interested in blinds to keep your house cool in the summer.

History of blinds

Did you notice? In the summer, I love to drive home by taking another road and avoiding the main road. When you drive through the Netherlands, you will see old farms and other houses. And usually, they have wooden blinds on the inside or outside.

These blinds are designed to keep the houses cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Very sufficient. And curtains were very expensive at that time, so it was a good option. In different areas, you see different patterns and colours on the blinds as a reminder of history.

Maybe next time, when you pass a farm, you look through different eyes. Or go to see the old interiors from the houses of Hendrick the Keyser (foundation to keep historical houses and interiors intact). And just seeing the pictures on their websites, will put a smile on my face.

Blinds to keep your house cool, inside or outside?

Location

One of the first choices you can make when you want to buy blinds for the sun, is the location. Outside or inside. Both have advantages and disadvantages. When you live in a rental house or a flat, you may need permission to install blinds on the outside of the house.

Outside

Blinds on the outside of your house will help you to keep your house more cool in the Dutch summer, because you add another layer of insulation before the glass. The heat is already blocked before it enters the house. Generally, they are more expensive than adding blinds on the inside because of the materials used.

In case you will choose a roller shutter or outdoor screen, you even make it more difficult for burglars.  The rooms will be darker, and there is more privacy.

If you don’t like to get a very dark room, you can also choose an awning with folding or drop arms, shade cloths and you will have some extra shade in your garden as well.

In most cases, the installation of blinds outside is more complicated than on the inside of the house. By adding a sensor and remote control, this can even work when you are not at home. Mostly, you can buy outdoor blinds at a specialistic company. They will help you with the installation also. It is normal that they come and see the current situation before they give you a quotation.

Inside

On the inside of the house, blinds can be a good option. There are so many options, that they can dazzle you. They come in a lot of varieties: Cellular shades, mini blinds, plantation shutters, vertical blinds etc. The biggest advantages are that a lot of them are very decorative and that they are generally cheaper than screens on the outside.

When you want them to be effective, they should have the right size, shape and material. For example, there are rolling curtains with a coating which reflects the sun. Of course, a curtain does already help with keeping the sunlight out of the house, but adding layers of insulation will be better. Depending on your taste, budget and style of the house, there is always a possibility. You can buy them at a local construction store or online. A lot of specialist shops that sell and install them for you. Installation is in most cases easy, and you can do it your own.

Conclusion

There are a lot of possibilities when you want to use blinds to keep your house cool in the summer. Outside is more effective than inside, but also more expensive. Inside is more decorative. Your choice may depend on what’s important for you, the budget and the service you want.

On the other hand, I think the house owners of centuries ago were smart, don’t you think?

We can imagine that all information about the possibilities of changing and adding things to your house is difficult. Sometimes it just costs too much time and energy.   We love to get you started. You can book your kickstart here.  Valuable information guaranteed.

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