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Window Treatments Design for Home Solar Heating

Beside as ventilation, with some special window treatments design, you window could become one of the home solar heating too. And here are some of the window treatments design considerations tips for home solar heating interior design.

For windows to admit the maximum amount of the sun’s heat, they must face south (north in the southern hemisphere) or within 20 degree east or west to true south. This orientation is essential for catching the winter sun.

When the sun’s direct rays enter a house, their radiant energy or heat is trapped inside, but only for the time the sunlight is present. When the sun goes down, interior heat is transmitted our through the glass to the colder environment. To retard this heat loss, you can install double glazing or cover the window with insulating material. In cold climates, you may want to do both.

In a passive solar heating system, you can store the heat by letting the sunlight fall on a material, such as brick, masonry, concrete, or  water, that will absorb and store the heat; after sundown, the material slowly releases its heat into the surrounding environment, keeping the house interior warm. When this method is used in conjunction with movable window insulation, we derive the greatest benefit from the sun’s heat.

Both elements-the south-facing glass to admit the sun’s radiation and a thermal mass to absorb the radiation and later release heat-are the basis of a passive solar system. You’ll want to consider some other points when using windows as passive solar devices.

• South-facing windows can provide a net positive energy balance, losing less heat than they gain, if they are both double or triple glazed or covered with insulating material at night.
• Clear glazing gives the maximum amount of light and heat for the area covered.
• The south-facing window should not be obstructed between 9 A.M. and 3 P.M. because almost 95 % of the low winter sun is intercepted between those hours.
• Recessing windows back from the outside wall will reduce air movement against them, reducing air infiltration. Splaying that recessed opening will increase the amount of direct sunlight coming through in winter, but it will also reduce shading in summer.
• A south-facing window’s height will limit how far from the window the thermal mass can be placed-generally only as far as 2.5 times the window’s height, since this is how far the direct sunlight will penetrate.

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