Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and meet other Mumsnetters on our free online chat forum.

Flip

Thermal curtains vs Blackout curtains to help keep a bedroom cool ?

14 replies

BookWorm45 · 16/07/2022 15:19

Wondering if anyone has got any words of wisdom on this......

The main bedroom in my house gets really warm, especially now (though also never really feels cold even in winter). It has a large bay window, double-glazed, which gets direct sun from dawn till around lunchtime. This window faces onto the road and we don't currently open the side windows of the bay - partly due to noise at night from cars/ people and partly as don't want the cat going out that way.

Currently we have blackout curtains fitted - so not with an extra lining, but using blackout material. (Dark blue which should also help with reducing light).

I have been trying to work out whether buying thermal curtains (thicker, usually interlayered fabric) would be a better idea in terms of reducing the heat in the room during summer - e.g. keeping the curtains closed during the period of the day when the sun is directly on the window.

Not sure if this would actually make a difference - has anyone tried one way or the other ?

OP posts:

Report

LifeExperience · 16/07/2022 15:33

I used to live in Florida. Thermal curtains will help a lot. They will also help keep the room warmer in winter.

Report

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 16/07/2022 15:35

by thermal you mean interlined curtains? Interlined is most effective in heat and cold.

Report

TherebytheGraceofGodgoI · 16/07/2022 15:42

I think they both do different jobs. I say blackout is best.it stops the sun penetrating through and keeps the heats out.
I have a metal shed in the garden and need to keep it cool. The inside is too hot to touch with the sun shining on it. I’ve put blackout linings over the roof this last fortnight and the difference is remarkable. The inside is cool touch now.

Report

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Home improvement

BookWorm45 · 16/07/2022 16:31

Thanks all.
Also, interesting comment about the garden shed, that would never have occurred to me.

OP posts:

Report

GrumpyPanda · 16/07/2022 16:37

Actually for the heat you need thermal insulation on the outside of the window. What i use in a pinch is emergency blankets - thin enough to close the window over them, they also let light through in the daytime. Raid your first aid box in thus heat wave, then replace for pennies from Amazon.

Report

Ladyofthepeonies · 16/07/2022 16:47

We have Argos ones that are thermal blackout perfect for us and so cheap we got them when we moved in to tide us over. But have kept most of them up as they were good

Report

BookWorm45 · 12/08/2022 15:38

resurrecting this thread to ask........ has anyone tried insulated curtain linings such as in this link, which attach to the back of your curtains ?
Looks like they would work logically but I'm nervous of buying given it is a £135 minimum order from this company. Haven't yet found any UK company that seems to do these (unless any of you kind people can recommend something ?)
www.moondreamwebstore.co.uk/thermal-curtain/silver-summer-metallized-thermal-lining-mc0001-141-145.html

OP posts:

Report

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 12/08/2022 15:46

I have the thermal/ blackout Habitat ones from Argos and they've made a huge difference in the bedroom and front room.

Report

CrowFriend · 12/08/2022 15:51

We went down the route of honeycomb blinds and they are fantastic at really reducing the amount of radiant heat coming in ( and help keep the heat in during the winter).

Report

BookWorm45 · 13/08/2022 11:30

Thanks all for comments. I am going to trial using silver foil emergency blankets, the thin sort, and clip them to the curtains so that (hopefully) they bounce heat back and the room doesn't absorb heat. Thanks to a pp who mentioned something like this.

OP posts:

Report

gogozoe · 08/07/2023 07:11

How did the emergency blankets go @BookWorm45 ? Ive been researching exactly the same, stuck in a hole, found the moondream ones & now I'm more stuck! We have blackout curtains in other rooms, which were not enough... so def looking at reflective or thermal linings...

Report

Phineyj · 08/07/2023 07:24

Been trying this kind of stuff for years (solar control blinds, blackout curtains) and it makes a bit of difference, but we're now replaced the glass at the front for solar control class.

You need to stop the heat before it actually gets through the windows.

It's a shame shutters aren't more common in the UK.

Report

Stickykidney · 08/07/2023 07:33

Was in Dunelm yesterday and they had them in the sale for £40 if that helps.. eyeing them up too but they were not in the colour I want (pink!)

Report

BookWorm45 · 08/07/2023 08:15

Hi @gogozoe - so I tried the emergency foil type things - wasn't a great success mainly as our cat began to have fun leaping up and making them rustle as he shredded them. I then tried clipping a spare duvet cover to the inside of the curtains (so effectively 3 layers of fabric keeping the sun out).

In the end we had to have the windows replaced (for separate reasons) which has helped, I think.

I've got into the habit of keeping the curtains closed across the main bay window during summer, plus I invested in a couple of fans which were pricier than I'd previously bought - but they are great, really silent but effective.