Interiors

Wooden Shutters in Winter - the best choice

Benefit 1: Shutters keep the warm air in If you want energy efficient windows, one of the best things you can do is to install shutters. Around 25% to 50% of the heat our radiators output is lost through windows, but with shutters closed at night, you can insulate your windows really well. In fact, a study by Edinburgh World Heritage discovered that you could almost completely stop heat leaking through large Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian windows just by closing shutters. They used a thermal imaging camera to show where heat was escaping from a house. BBC News also covered the story, reporting that closed wooden shutters ‘act like double glazing’.

Benefit 2: Shutters keep the cold air out Forget about heat escaping for a moment – what about cold air getting in through tiny gaps in frames? Shutters are a great way at cutting down on draughts – simply close them up at night for a wonderfully insulated home.

Benefit 3: Shutters save money on your heating bills With less cold air coming in and virtually no heat escaping, you can turn your thermostat right down, reducing your heating bills. It’s a win-win.

Benefit 4: Shutters keep your rooms private When it gets dark early, your neighbours have the perfect opportunity for a good nose into your well-lit living spaces, right? Wrong. With shutters, you can tilt – or completely shut – the louvres so that your rooms remain obscured or unseen.

Benefit 5: Shutters let the light in Woken up to a bright winter morning? Or perhaps it’s a crisp winter evening? Tilting your shutters will allow you to control and maximise the light that’s coming in – letting in the last of the evening’s rays and making the most of those rare sunny days.

Benefit 6: Shutters reflect light - Wonder what we mean about maximising the light? Shutter louvres have a reflective surface and, if you tilt them to just the right angle, you’ll reflect more light into the room. When they’re shut, they reflect artificial light, too.

Benefit 7: Shutters don’t suffer from condensation like curtains do - If your home’s not well-ventilated, condensation might be a problem in winter. Shutters don’t suffer from mould-growth like curtains do, and are easy to wipe down and maintain. What’s more, you’re more likely to open your windows in winter if you have shutters to let in just a trickle of fresh air.

Benefit 8: Shutters are low maintenance Talking of wiping down your shutters… you’ll find after months of everyone being indoors all the time during the cold snap, your shutters need little more than a wipe over with a damp cloth or duster to get them looking as good as new. Trips to dry cleaners with bulky curtains – and a week without window dressings as a result? With shutters, those days are over.

This article and illustrations were contributed by Harvey Bruce Interiors. www.harveybruce.co.uk Williamson’s Garden Centre, Uphall, West Lothian, EH52 6PA