Most of the current heat and noise studies don’t include indoor shutters as they look at the impact of heat loss and noise through walls and ceilings, however, common sense would say that a wooden barrier should be more effective in helping with these issues than a traditional material window covering. I’ve given it some serious consideration and these are my thoughts.
As a natural insulator, wood is likely to help retain heat during the colder months. Once the louvers are closed the shutter panel provides a wooden barrier between the window glass and room which should help to prevent heat seeping out. When closed the louvers are angled upwards, making it less likely that heat will escape through any gaps as heat rises and so passes over the front of the blades.
When using battens for UPVC windows I also suggest to my customers they use painters mate or caulk around the edge of the battens. This finishes the job neatly, but also means that light and drafts are blocked out. The interlocking doors also reduce opportunities for cold drafts to find their way through, which will help to trap cold air between the window and shutter rather than reaching your room.
With more homes being built in busy cities, increasing volumes of traffic and from those who live on flight paths, a common question I am asked is whether you can use indoor shutters to reduce noise.
My customers have reported that the solid shutters provide the best results, although there is little to choose between solid or louvered. As a wooden barrier is formed once the louvres are closed, and as wood can be used to dampen noise, the effect of adding a shutter to your window can be more beneficial than using blinds or curtains.
If noise is of particular concern you may want to incorporate secondary double glazing or specialist soundproofing with a shutter. However, the benefit of using a shutter is that you have a stylish window covering as well as something that can help to reduce noise.
Several of my customers have said that my blackout shutter and blind combination also helps with heat retention and noise reduction, as the blinds honeycomb effect traps heat and creates an extra layer between the window and room.
You could also consider putting insulating or draft excluding tape around the frame to further reduce drafts and noise entering your room.
If you know of any evidence of window coverings retaining heat or reducing noise I would be interested to hear from you. You can always comment on my blog or contact me via my website, look out for my other blogs on the benefits of indoor shutters.