Sitting Areas by Windows: Balancing Comfort and Airiness

Many people like exterior shutters simply because they look attractive. Although they afford both modern and historic buildings a timelessly classy look, their mere appearance is not the only factor that makes them so beneficial. If you are considering fitting exterior shutters to your home, then what are the main plus points you will obtain once they have been installed?

Superior Privacy

There is nothing like closing off a window with an outdoor shutter to make you feel fully protected from prying eyes inside. Although you can block lines of sight with window treatments like Venetian blinds and net curtains, there is nothing quite like a set of exterior shutters to totally cut off vantage points from outside. This makes fitting shutters especially beneficial if your home is overseen from the road or via a tall building that looks down on you.

Light Adjustment

Exterior shutters come in all shapes and sizes to suit every type of window. Many will have louvres which you can adjust, as well. By moving the pitch of these slats, you will be able to adjust just how much light you want to come into your home. When you want it to be completely dark, move them into their upright position. If you want more light, then set them towards the horizontal. Of course, you can always open your shutters completely when you want to maximise the amount of available sunlight, too.

Block Heat

When you close your exterior shutters, you will do a great job of stopping unwanted heat energy from outside coming into your home. All windows allow some heat to penetrate but when there is an outer covering – as opposed to an inner one, such as a pair of curtains – the overall temperature inside will remain lower. This should help to bring your air-conditioning costs right down in summer. What's more, the reverse is true in winter. Closed exterior shutters mean less heat loss from inside, so you don't need to keep your central heating turned on as much as you otherwise would.

Improved Security

One of the best things about external shutters is that they create a physical barrier between the inside of the home and the outside, thereby improving home security to no end. Most will have a latch that keeps them securely positioned which you operate from the inside. It is virtually impossible to break in through a shuttered window. Even better, fitting them could mean that your home insurance premiums are lowered because your home is more secure.

For further information on exterior shutters, reach out to a local window company.