by Texas Homesteader ~
WHEW! The heat is on, y’all! Here in NE Texas we’ve had day after day of near or over 100 degree temps. RancherMan & I try to keep our home as cool as possible while being environmentally conscious of the cost in both dollars as well as energy of using the energy hog that is the typical home’s air conditioner.
Our air conditioner is energy efficient and it’s being used of course to help keep us comfortable. But we do what we can to rely on it as little as possible. Our home has an open floor plan, which means we use the natural light coming in from the windows to help light our home.
But did you know that proper use of mini blinds can make a difference in allowing light into your home while still blocking some of the sun’s heat? Oh yeah, that’s right! Check out today’s Homestead Hack.
In the mornings RancherMan & I open the blinds to allow that wonderful free natural light to come into our home. By using the blinds to allow natural light into our home it’s not often necessary to turn on a lamp or light switch to have lots of light, and that’s a good thing.
But by being mindful to use the proper angle when opening our blinds we allow that wonderful light into our home while blocking much of the sun’s summer heat. Here’s how:
Window Blinds Opened To Let In Heat
If you crack your blinds it lets in the light from outside, but if you see sunshine on the floor, that sun is hitting the inside of your home and adding unwanted heat.
Test it – stand barefooted on that sunny spot and feel how much warmer it is than the surrounding areas.
Window Blinds Opened To Let In Light
But if you tilt the blinds the other way you’ll see no sunshine on the floor. Yet you’ll have the same amount of light coming into the house.
It’s all in the angle you allow. Tilting down allows that sun to pass straight through, tilting the slats up stops the suns rays from hitting your living areas.
RancherMan & I notice when the tilt of the open blinds has been done backwards by accident as it feels warmer as we pass by that window. It’s often quickly rectified with just a pull of the cord to change the blinds’ direction.
Give it a try and see if it doesn’t make a difference in your home too. It’s an easy way to help keep your home more comfortable during the summer months & every little bit helps!
~TxH~
This post categorized in 
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Great Tip!! Thanks for linking up on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday Link Party!! Hope to see you again tomorrow!! Love partying with you!! Pinned!
This is a really good tip. I don’t usually pay attention to how I open the blinds.
Experiment with it Erlene, I think you’ll see a difference. ~TxH~
Ha, who knew?! Thanks for sharing it with Thursday Favorite Things! Have a great weekend!
As hot as it’s been in NE Texas we’re doing everything we can to keep that heat outside where it belongs. WHEW! ~TxH~
Ok
I have questions about this method.
I have a western facing bathroom and mid room and bed room( I won’t count it because it has an awning) … And our house is dark! So the more natural light the better.
But I’ve seemed to notice if I tilt the shades forward… With light shining in the floor… The room is filled with light, however it’s not raising the temperature as much because the HEAT trapped between the glass and the blind stays there. If I tilt the blinds back… Darkening the room–/ the HEAT Rises into the room .. Making it hotter and taking more energy to cool.
I know that yall have solar screens… I don’t. Do you think that may be the difference??
Interesting Patricia and I understand what you’re saying about the difference in light when the blinds are tilted to where light hits the floor. It’s definitely more light coming in that way. I’ve always found that tilting the blinds to reflect heat back toward the windows has kept our actual living space cooler but like you said I have solar screens as well. I wonder if the orientation of the windows to north-south-east or west makes a difference, or window coverings (ours are only blinds and valances with no curtains covering the windows) or like you say awnings over the windows. I just know this has always worked well for us and since we have an open floorplan we use the light from all windows to help light our living areas, so tilting the blinds the way we do lets in plenty of light while keeping more heat outside. ~TxH~
Thanks for the tip. I will check that out in the kitchen!
It really works, LindaG! ~TxH~