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Back To Basics Monday – Which Way is North?

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. From that, you can determine which way is north and south. North facing is the coldest and shadiest side of your home; south facing is the warmest and sunniest. Open the window treatments in your home to allow in the warmth and light giving sunshine during the daytime and close up the window treatments to keep out the cold and for privacy in the evenings. High performance windows and insulated window treatments are ideal, but not everyone is lucky enough to have these where they live.

 If you do not have the time, or the patience, to open and close all of the window treatments in your home each morning and evening; focus on the sunny south facing windows for warmth and protecting your home from the colder north when the weather is cold. If you are in a home with drafty windows, consider a few options: shrink-wrap plastic window cover kits are available from most hardware stores (but then you cannot open the window if the weather is nice), putting up your own plastic (use bubble wrap, the trapped air greatly improves the insulation effect), or use Window Draft Stoppers (made in the US and sold by Energy Shift, go to our web site to view sizes, colors, and prices).