Households across the UK are being warned to keep their curtains open during the snowstorms on Thursday and Friday. It might sound counterproductive, but keeping your curtains open is actually a better option when the weather is colder, as long as you close them again at night.
According to heating experts, households looking to maximise their house’s warmth should actually open their curtains and keep them open during the day. This is because natural light – and whatever sunlight we get, even during snowstorms – helps to heat a house naturally.
Sun shining through windows, even winter sun, has a greenhouse effect, magnified by the glass in the window itself.
Once the sun sets and dusk sets in, you should then close the curtains to block out the dark and insulate the cold window frame when there’s no natural light to do so.
This is backed by heating experts who say: “When it is below freezing outside, it is generally better to keep the curtains open during the day to allow sunlight to enter the home and help warm the interior. Allowing the sunshine to come in can help offset some of the heat loss through the windows.
“Closing the curtains would prevent that solar heat gain. However, it’s also important to ensure the windows are well-insulated to minimise heat transfer through the glass. The optimal approach depends on factors like the home’s insulation, the amount of sunlight, and the severity of the cold temperatures outside.”
According to curtain retailer The Mill Shop, you should then close curtains when the sun sets: “Keep curtains open during sunny spells in the daytime to make the most of natural light and heat. Close curtains when it’s cold and dull, particularly at night, to reduce heat loss via windows and doors. Choose an insulating curtain for best results, or a lined curtain. You could even line existing curtains to increase their insulating properties.”
The Met Office corroborates this too. It says: “Draw your curtains at dusk to help keep the heat generated inside your rooms.
“Make sure that your radiators are not obstructed by curtains or furniture.”
Other tips include to fit draught proofing seals around windows and doors and to make sure your loft has at least 10-11 inches of insulation.
The weather forecasters say there is a risk of snow for at least 96 UK cities on Thursday evening into Friday morning, having upgraded its initial yellow weather warnings in England to a rarer and more serious amber warning.