is a room colder with shades open or closed?

Answer 1

If it is summer, leaving shades down will help keep heat out.. During winter keeping them closed will keep it warmer, unless the sun is shining through your window, then leave open..

Answer 2

If the shades are open sunlight comes through the window, is absorbed within the room and is re-radiated as long wave infrared radiation which can not pass back out through the glass windows. The temperature increases in the room, a green house effect. But if the shades are drawn and no other source of heat enters the room, and no other means by which the heat can leave the room, the temperature should remain fairly constant.

Answer 3

If it's cold outside, assuming it's overcast, leaving the shades open will cause the room to cool. If it's hot outside, leaving the shades open will cause the room to warm. Did you ever notice that if you put your hand in front of a window on a cold day, it feels like the heat gets sucked out of it? That's infrared radiation escaping from your hand. One of the three methods of heat transfer is radiation. There was a really interesting web page about this sort of thing, but I don't remember where it is. Basically, the amount of heat or cold you get from a radiating surface (or lose to a surface that doesn't reflect your radiation back), depends on it's size in your field of view.

Answer 4

Sorry, no simple answer. As often is the case, it depends.

If it's sunny outside and/or hot outside: Closed keeps the sun out and your room will be colder.

If it's not sunny and it's cold outside: Closed provides more insulation from the cold outside. The cold air outside makes the window cold, and by closing blinds or drapes, you keep the inside air from constant contact with the cold window.

Answer 5

In the summer, when closed.

In the winter, when open.

This also depends on many factors. If you live in a warm climate with south exposure, opening the shades even in winter may warm the room.

No absolute answers here.

Answer 6

Alot of people are getting the Winter/Summer thing but what about the day/night perspective? In the daytime with bright sunlight it will be warmer but at night i'd close them for the extra insulation.

Answer 7

It depends. If the sun is shining, then it will be cooler with the shades closed. If it is cold outside, then it will be cooler with the shades open.

Answer 8

Shades closed. Less sun light means less heat

Answer 9

it depends on the weather --- on a very cold day it's warmer with them closed -- but if it's really sunny and milder it's warmer with them open -- but then again all my windows are double paned so I don't really notice the difference anymore..

Answer 10

closed