Window treatments that look good, save energy

Bridget Botelho

03/16/2009

Jeff Marhall and his wife, Susan, bought their Budget Blinds franchise about three years ago as a way to work for themselves in interior design. The couple quickly learned, however, that customers’ interest often goes beyond aesthetics to improving energy efficiency.
“Only about 5 percent of people’s homes are made up of windows, but 50 percent of heat is lost through windows,” said Jeff Marhall, co-owner of Budget Blinds by Susan in Coventry. “A high percentage of our customers call us because they have old homes with leaky windows but can’t afford to replace them. They want efficiency window coverings to keep the heat in the winter and keep the house cooler in the summer.”
In fact, many of the window treatments sold by Budget Blinds boast high R-values – the measure of a product’s ability to insulate – helping people save on heating and cooling costs, Marhall said.
The sun can also fade floors and furnishings. Budget Blinds sells a number of products that control “heat transfer” by limiting the amount of sunlight allowed through windows, he said. “We are also getting more involved with heat sensors, which automatically lower the blinds when the heat hits a certain level, and lifts them when the levels are low,” Marhall said.
Cutting the energy bill isn’t the only factor in choosing window treatments; environmentally concerned consumers choose products based on their material use. That’s why Budget Blinds now offers many products made from renewable materials. The Budget Blinds Signature Series, for instance, is certified by Green Built Home, a national “green” building initiative that certifies products and projects that meet sustainable building and energy standards.
“People think, 10 years on my window and 1,000 years in the landfill, but there are new products to prevent that paradigm. We have products made of natural materials like grasses, reeds and bamboo that won’t end up in the landfill,” he said.
Many of the products the Marhalls resell are also certified by the Green Guard Environmental Institute, which identifies acceptable indoor air standards. “Many plastics, glues and adhesives have volatile compounds in them, which get into the air in your homes and affect air quality,” he said. “By using Green Guard products, you know you are getting safe materials that won’t affect your air.”
Another reason to breathe easy with green window treatments is that when they no longer fit with your style, they can be recycled, Marhall said.
The Marhalls believe the best way to know what will work in a customer’s home or business is to actually see the products there. That’s why the franchise is mobile, utilizing a large van full of window treatments that can be brought to customer locations. About 90 percent of the Marhalls’ business is residential, the rest is commercial.
Budget Blinds by Susan serves East Greenwich, North Kingstown, Coventry, Jamestown, South County, Providence and Cranston. •

Visit Budget Blinds by Susan’s Web site for product and service information at www.budgetblinds.com/Coventry/.

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