Will heavy wooden blinds help single glazed heat loss?

[d000hg]

I've Victorian single glazed windows and as the weather has cooled down am starting to notice!
Most of them have no curtains and to be honest, I'm not a fan - I know thick curtains are the old solution before double glazing and they look nice.

BUT they cut out so much light even when drawn back. Many of my windows are situated in such a way you either couldn't easily have the curtains draw back outside the window, or if you could you couldn't reach to do it easily.

I am looking at nice solid wood, 50mm slatted blinds anyway and wondered if these will provide any thermal benefit or will just look nice? It seems to me that if they are a close fit to the box and sill, they should help but any ideas on relative performance of curtains, blinds and shutters? U values and the like?

 

[Mr Chibs]

I doubt the U values will be altered very much by wooden blinds, the difference will be negligable.

If condensation (just guessing) is an issue, then the cheapest way to improve will be DIY secondary glazing, but this means you won't be able to open the window.
I have some single glazed windows, that have no openers, and since doing this there is no condensation and it's not as cold, near the window.

 

[d000hg]

There is quite a lot of condensation but I'm not too bothered about it. I've looked into retrofitting slimline panels or having new sashes made with double-glazing but don't want to rush into such things. I only perfunctorily looked at secondary glazing. I suppose I could try it for one window as an experiment - one of those DIY ones I could remove in the summer.
Right now my office is blinding me with late autumn very low sun so I need blinds so I can see my computer, more urgently than anything else!

 

[elisa123]

Have you considered thermal blinds?

 

[d000hg]

Like roller blinds? No, other than one or two rooms. They look pretty cheap in my experience though I would be interested if nicer ones existed

 

[Gerrydelasel]

BUT they cut out so much light even when drawn back.

Only when incorrectly hung. Curtains should be hung wide so they can be pulled back beyond the window.

 

[d000hg]

Well yes - if there is space. Some of mine, there aint' - traditional windows where you pull the curtain back but the top stays closed, ot there simply isn't the extra width.

I was considering getting pull-cords because the other issue is I have windows where it would be hard to get to the curtains properly! But my experience as a child in a house with these systems was they were a huge PITA.

 

[foxhole]

Blinds will do nothing to reduce heat loss.

 

[endecotp]

I have thermal blinds like these and I love them:

http://www.blinds-2go.co.uk/energy-saving-thermal-blinds.htm

 

[JenniferMichaels]

Yes we have thermal blinds installed at home. When it comes for heat loss then along with that you should also have proper insulation for the windows.

 

[Nige F]

.
Right now my office is blinding me with late autumn very low sun so I need blinds so I can see my computer, more urgently than anything else!

Vertical blinds that you can adjust the angle against the sun as it moves. And claim for from HMRC if it's a work office

 

[motorbiking]

I'd have some glass panels cut to match the window frame and then either screw in a bead to hold them in place or some 90 degree clips. But it will only bring the U-value from about 5 down to 3. Still thats a chunk worth saving, particularly if they are drafty

 

[d000hg]

Vertical blinds that you can adjust the angle against the sun as it moves. And claim for from HMRC if it's a work office

I have considered it

 

[Screwsloose]

How about a window film that’s thermally insulating? Google shows some (but not all) window films that claim to reduce heat loss.