Do Blackout Blinds Make a Room Cooler?

Can Blackout Blinds Help Keep Your Room Cool?

When temperatures start to rise, keeping your home cool can become a challenge. Sunlight streaming through your windows can quickly turn bedrooms, living rooms and home offices into uncomfortable spaces, particularly during a heatwave.

One simple way to reduce the amount of heat entering your home is to use blackout blinds. While they cannot remove heat that is already inside a room, they can help reduce direct sunlight and the amount of solar energy coming through your windows.

So, do blackout blinds make a room cooler? They can certainly help, particularly when they are closed before the sun starts heating the room.

How Do Blackout Blinds Reduce Heat?

Windows can allow a significant amount of sunlight into your home. When sunlight passes through the glass, it can contribute to the temperature inside the room.

Blackout blinds are made using fabrics designed to block out most external light. By closing them during the brightest and hottest parts of the day, you can reduce the amount of direct sunlight entering the room.

This can be particularly helpful for windows that receive strong afternoon sunshine.

Timing Makes a Difference

One of the most important things to remember is that blackout blinds work best as part of a wider approach to keeping your home cool.

Rather than waiting until the room is already hot, close your blinds before the sun reaches the window. This can help prevent the room from heating up in the first place.

Summer Tip: a room gets direct sunlight during the afternoon, close your blackout blinds before the sun reaches the window and keep them closed during the hottest part of the day.

Are Blackout Blinds Good for Bedrooms in Summer?

Blackout blinds can be particularly useful in bedrooms during the summer months.

Longer daylight hours mean that bedrooms can become bright very early in the morning, while hot weather can make sleeping uncomfortable. Blackout blinds help block out external light, creating a darker environment that can make it easier to sleep.

They can also help reduce the amount of direct sunlight entering the room during the day, which can be useful if your bedroom becomes particularly warm.

For children’s bedrooms, blackout blinds can also be helpful during the lighter summer evenings and early mornings.

Blackout Blinds vs Other Blinds for Heat

Not all blinds provide the same level of light and heat control. The best option will depend on the room, the direction your windows face and how much sunlight they receive.

Which Rooms Can Benefit from Blackout Blinds?

Blackout blinds can be useful in almost any room that experiences strong sunlight.

Bedrooms

They can help create a darker environment and reduce direct sunlight during the day.

Home Offices

Blackout blinds can help reduce glare on computer screens, particularly when working next to a sunny window.

Living Rooms

They can help reduce glare from televisions and make bright rooms more comfortable during the hottest part of the day.

South-Facing Rooms

Rooms with south-facing windows can receive significant amounts of sunlight, making effective window coverings particularly useful during summer.

Can Blackout Blinds Completely Stop a Room Getting Hot?

It is important to have realistic expectations. Blackout blinds are not an air conditioning system and cannot guarantee that a room will remain cool during extreme temperatures.

They can, however, form part of a wider strategy to reduce heat entering your home.

Other useful steps include keeping windows closed while it is hotter outside than inside, opening windows when temperatures drop, using external shading where possible and avoiding unnecessary heat from appliances.

How to Get the Most from Blackout Blinds

For the best results during hot weather:

• Close blinds before direct sunlight reaches the window.
• Keep them closed during the hottest part of the day.
• Ventilate your home when outdoor temperatures are cooler.
• Use external shading where possible for particularly sunny windows.
• Choose a blind that is correctly fitted to your window.

Helpful Tip: If overheating is a particular problem, consider which windows receive the most direct sunlight. These are often the best places to prioritise effective window coverings.

Blackout Blinds FAQs

Do blackout blinds reduce heat?

Blackout blinds can help reduce the amount of direct sunlight entering a room, which can help limit heat gain through windows. Their effectiveness will depend on the fabric, window and amount of sunlight the room receives.

Should blackout blinds be closed during a heatwave?

Yes. If your windows receive direct sunlight, closing blackout blinds before the sun reaches the glass can help prevent the room from becoming unnecessarily warm.

Are blackout blinds good for summer bedrooms?

Yes. They can reduce early morning light, limit direct sunlight during the day and help create a darker, more comfortable sleeping environment.

Are blackout blinds better than curtains for keeping a room cool?

It depends on the product and fabric. Blackout blinds can provide excellent light control, while curtains can provide another layer of insulation. In some rooms, combining blinds and curtains can be an effective option.

Find the Right Blinds for Your Home

If certain rooms in your home become too bright or uncomfortable during the summer, the right blinds could make a noticeable difference.

Feran offers a wide range of bespoke blinds, including blackout options, designed around your windows and interior. Speak to the Feran team to find the right window covering for your home and summer needs.