One of the most economic and easy to apply methods of insulating your home is to dress your windows with insulated or thermal curtains. This thought probably drums images of dreary looking drapes that will do nothing for the appeal of your home. The term thermal curtains sounds dull and responsible causing you to envisage something industrial; these were exactly my own thoughts when I first came across the term thermal curtains. It will be a relief to hear that I was mistaken and thermal curtains are anything but boring; there are so many variations of beautiful thermal curtains available that something suitable can be found for any home.

When you dress your windows with thermal curtains the main advantage is that the curtains, as well as looking good will provide warmth in cool weather and cooling in hot weather. It is commonly known that thermal curtains will help keep the warmth inside a room; there are other benefits that thermal curtains provide. During hot weather thermal curtains provide a nice coolness that can save on air conditioning costs, also they provide noise reduction from outside, as well as this many manufactures provide thermal curtains with blackout features which can be very useful for bedrooms and nurseries.

So what makes thermal curtains thermal? They are basically the same as ordinary curtains with one major difference; the fabric they are made from has a foam thermal backing. Most thermal curtains are made from cotton or polyester or a blend of the two, these fabrics give the curtains easy cleaning qualities with most of them being machine washable. One of the biggest advantages of thermal curtains is the price and they are in close competition with ordinary curtains and with the wide ranges of colours and styles available in ready made curtains and curtains made to order, why wouldn’t you opt for a thermal pair.

Another type of insulated window dressing on the market is curtains with insulated liners, these curtains offer the same benefits as the foam backed versions, they help retain heat in cool weather, provide coolness in hot weather, reduces the effects of outside noise as well as blocking out extra sunlight. Curtains with insulated liners can be bought readymade or made to order, it is also possible to attached a thermal lining yourself if you are DIY minded and confident in your sewing ability.

It should be remembered that both insulated drapes and thermal curtains are heavy and thick and can be difficult to hang, you may require a fitting service which many curtain retailers provide. It is quite possible to attach a thermal liner to existing curtains or hung completely separately to the curtain. Another benefit of lined curtains is that the lining can help prevent fading caused to material when hung in direct sunlight for long periods of time. A separate liner also acts as a barrier and prevents dust and dirt from the window dirtying the curtain fabric. A separate liner will also enable the separate curtains to hang more attractively due to the reduced thickness and you will be able to clean the liner separately when required without having completely bare windows.