Dynamic solar shading: a warmer winter, a cooler summer

Closing your curtains or blinds at just the right moment can do more for that cosy feeling than you might think, especially when they do it automatically. And when summer comes round, that same smart system can just as easily keep the sun out, whichever type of shading you use, from curtains and blinds to roller shutters and screens.

Winter: an extra layer for your windows

A heavy curtain or a well-fitted blind already makes a difference on a cold December evening. Closed across the window, it traps a pocket of still air against the glass, and that still air insulates. Draw your curtains or lower your blinds a little earlier and the room holds its warmth for longer.

Want to take it further? Roller shutters work on the same principle, but add a layer outdoors too: they break the wind that would otherwise carry warmth away from the glass, and limit the heat that radiates back out through the window. The two work especially well together, shutters outside and curtains or blinds inside.

What difference does it make?

Be realistic about the effect, though. The gain is greatest with older or single glazing. With standard double glazing, you'll mainly notice it on cold, windy nights. The better your glass already insulates, the smaller that extra gain becomes. If you have double or triple glazing, you'll get more from pairing it with window coverings on the inside, such as Roman blinds or pleated blinds. 

With shutters, the fit matters too: ones that close snugly against the side guides and bottom rail insulate noticeably better than ones with gaps.

The secret: closed on time, every day

Whatever you use, closing on time is what makes the difference. With manual curtains or blinds, that's entirely down to you. Do you draw them at six in the evening, or only when you go to bed, after the cold evening air has already crept in for hours?

Dynamic solar shading takes care of that for you. Your curtains, blinds or roller shutters close automatically at dusk, at a set time, or as soon as it drops below a temperature you choose outside. Even if you're still on your way home, or queuing for the last bits of the Christmas dinner shop.

Sensors keep an eye on the outdoor and indoor temperature and the position of the sun, so your shading moves at exactly the moment it has the most effect. With TaHoma® switch, you can link that to your lighting and heating too, so you come home to a house that's already warm and welcoming.

A note on screens and shutters

Screens have an open or translucent weave and are designed for sun protection and privacy outdoors, so winter isn't really their moment, that comes in summer. If you're looking at the bigger picture, though, it's worth knowing that exterior shading such as roller shutters and screens has the strongest effect on your home's temperature. Curtains and blinds help too, especially with a metallised lining, but on their own they're somewhat less effective. For most homes, a good set of curtains or blinds indoors, used well, is still the easiest way to add everyday comfort.

A New Year's resolution: think ahead to summer

Here's to the new year. And if you're already thinking ahead in January, you'll know the first warm days arrive faster than you'd expect. In summer, everything flips: now you want to keep the heat outside.

Well-insulated homes hold onto their warmth in winter, but that works against them in summer, they struggle to let the heat back out. Shading that's already closed before the sun reaches the wall keeps a room noticeably cooler than shading that only closes once the room has heated up.

The season for your screens and shutters

This is when your screens and shutters really earn their keep. They block the sun before it reaches the glass, cut down on anyone looking in, and still let daylight through.

Even in summer, dynamic solar shading gets the best out of whatever you have, curtains, blinds, screens or shutters. They respond to temperature and the position of the sun and lower themselves at exactly the moment they'll do the most good. Even on the days you're at work, your home stays cool.

One system, all year round

The nice thing about curtains, blinds, screens and shutters is that each earns its place every season, just in a different way. In winter they keep the warmth in, in summer the sun out. With dynamic solar shading, that happens on its own, day in, day out.

Curious what would make the most difference in your home? That depends on your glazing, your walls and the type of windows you have. A Somfy dealer near you is happy to take a look in person. Or start small with a smart basic setup and build it up from there: read how to make the move from manual to automatic control.

Happy holidays in a warm home, a good start to the new year, and a wonderfully cool summer ahead.

A warmer winter, a cooler summer

Discover how dynamic solar shading, from curtains and blinds to screens and shutters, helps keep your home comfortable in every season.

Discover what dynamic solar shading can do for you