The Curtain Placement Mistake To Avoid At All Costs When Installing

When you're planning out the layout of your room, it's likely that you're not putting a ton of thought into the placement of your curtains. This is because curtain placement is pretty self-explanatory — they are meant to cover the windows, after all. However, there's one mistake you could be making that could be sending your electric bill through the roof. Air vents, both ones on the floor and in the wall, are frequently placed near windows. If you have long, billowing curtains, however, you could be inadvertently blocking these vents and making your HVAC system work harder than it has to in order to keep your home warm or cool.

There are several different ways to ensure your HVAC system is running as efficiently as possible, but if you're not dealing with any major issues, you're likely seeing a decrease in performance or a spike in your electricity bill because the vents are blocked. Curtains that sit flush against the wall or pool onto the floor and block your vents are frequently overlooked, but taking care of this issue is incredibly simple. If you find that your curtains continuously get in the way, however, it might be time to change up your window treatments in favor of something that's more compatible with your home's design.

Your first step, of course, should be to determine if this is an issue in the first place. Take a walk around your home and identify the placement of any wall or floor vents that could potentially be blocked by curtains. Pull the curtains back or tie them up in these spots, then take note of if your HVAC seems to be running more smoothly. If you're still having issues, it's likely that you need to clean your air ducts like the professionals, replace the filters, or have a professional take a look for more serious issues.

If you've noticed an improvement in the airflow in your house, it's time to make some more permanent changes to your window treatments. Finding the perfect length curtains can be a bit of a struggle, especially if you believe your curtains being too long is better than too short, but it might be necessary to make some stylistic sacrifices in the name of energy efficiency. Measure the length from your floor to the curtain rod, then keep an eye out for options that are the same or slightly shorter than that measurement. Pre-made curtains typically come in a standardized set of lengths — 63, 84, 94, 108, and 120 inches — but there are plenty of options online, like these Lamit Natural Faux Linen Curtains from Amazon, that provide more options between these measurements. After installing, you'll be able to enjoy the privacy and light filtering qualities of your curtains without the annoying side effects of blocked vents.