Because of inflating residential fuel rates, effective use of these fuels playing is an increasingly important role in controlling home energy costs. Windows provide outside lighting and outdoor views, but they rob us of warmth during the winter and, allow solar radiation to heat our air conditioned homes.

Various treatments have been and are being proposed for use as coverings for windows to regulate or decrease the heat transfer through a window in a home. Many of these products present conflicting information regarding their fuel savings, and these ; savings; are derived from various types of measurements.

The Armour Institute of Technologyl published a final report to the Window Shade Institute in 1940 on the reduction of heat intake in summer with cloth window coverings. Armour concluded that cloth shades reduced heat intake by as much as 55%
in the summer. Light colored cloth shades kept out more summer heat than dark colored cloth shades.

This paper explores various types of window coverings and their effectiveness in controlling heat loss and gain under winter and summer conditions. Included are roller shades of various materials, window blinds, window shades, and drapes as well as different combinations of two types.