In some cases, buying blackout shades or blinds can be a good investment. Others say that the price outweighs the benefits and hence it won’t be a solution. In fact, the truth is somewhere in between, because what is great for one person can be bad for another. Let’s see how this applies to blackout shades.
Home owners buy blackout shades / blinds because they want to:
1. Create an opportunity to darken the room for more comfortable daytime sleep for themselves and babies/young children. Blackout shades / blinds make it possible to create a soothing, almost nighttime environment. This is a nice option for bedrooms that carries a substantial degree of privacy.
2. Keep summer heat and winter cold outside. Indeed, this can be very effective in terms of energy efficiency, because blackout shades help to maintain this temperature balance during different seasons in a natural way. Many home owners say that this one-time investment has pretty much helped them to reduce their energy bills.
3. Keep noise outside. Most blackout shades are made of thick materials that boast some acoustic insulation properties. This can be a great alternative for those whose bedrooms face a busy street.
4. Secure interior against direct sunlight. Those, whose windows face south-east to south-west, have plenty of sunlight in their homes. As a result, their furniture, carpets, bedсovers, etc., may lose color. Blackout shades / blinds block most of the sunlight and therefore may prevent the fading of these items.
Other home owners do not buy blackout shades, because they do not want to:
1. Completely rob themselves of daylight. Some home owners find it discomforting to stay in a dark room during the day. Also, shaded rooms are equally dark at midnight and in midday. This may cause people to lose the sense of time upon wakeup, especially those who are used to waking up from natural morning sunlight. Besides, lack of sunlight may cause Vitamin D deficiency and make you susceptible to seasonal depression.
2. Have trouble with their babies’ sleep. Those who use blackout shades/blinds to prolong their little ones’ sleep may end up dealing with their naughty and noisy behavior resulting from not being used to be woken up by natural sunlight when there are no shades or blinds.
3. Deal with style limitations. Because blackout shades imply absence of light, manufacturers do not care much about stylistic diversity. This may be the reason why most blackout shades have little decorative value.
4. Use sturdy curtain rods. Blackout shades are made of thick materials that have a greater weight. If it’s your first experience with blackout shades, you are going to have to replace your curtain rod with a sturdier one.
