Window blinds helping keep a UK home cool during summer

Keep Your Home Cool with Blinds & Shading | DBBNC


Keep Your Home Cool: How BBSA Research Shows Shading Can Beat Summer Heat

As UK summers become hotter and heatwaves more frequent, keeping your home comfortable is becoming a growing challenge. The same insulation and airtight construction that helps reduce heating bills during winter can unintentionally create an overheating problem during summer. According to the British Blind and Shutter Association (BBSA), modern homes are increasingly vulnerable to excessive indoor temperatures, making effective solar shading more important than ever.

At DB Blinds & Curtains Ltd, we're proud BBSA members and regularly help homeowners find practical shading solutions that make homes cooler, more comfortable and more energy efficient throughout the year.

External blinds on a UK home blocking solar heat gain to reduce indoor temperatures in summer

Why Are UK Homes Overheating?

Over the last decade, the UK has experienced increasingly extreme summer temperatures.

In 2022, England recorded a temperature of 40.3°C in Lincolnshire, while global temperature records continue to be broken. At the same time, our homes are being built and renovated to higher insulation standards, helping retain heat during winter but also trapping unwanted heat during hot weather.

This combination creates what many experts refer to as the overheating trap:

  • Better insulation reduces heat loss in winter.
  • Airtight construction limits natural cooling.
  • Large glazed areas allow significant solar gain.
  • Heat builds up indoors and struggles to escape.
  • Indoor temperatures can become uncomfortable and even unhealthy during prolonged hot spells.

What BBSA Research Revealed

The BBSA commissioned research on a block of flats in London to investigate how shading affects indoor temperatures during hot weather.

The findings were striking:

Rooms without shading reached an operative temperature of 47.5°C.

Key Findings

✅ Unshaded rooms reached 47.5°C
Extremely high temperatures were recorded in rooms with no solar shading.

✅ External blinds reduced peak temperatures to 28°C
This represented a 41% reduction in perceived indoor temperature.

✅ Internal blinds reduced temperatures to approximately 32°C
While still warm, internal shading significantly improved comfort compared with unshaded rooms.

✅ Ventilation remains important
The study noted that apartments had limited ventilation, highlighting the importance of combining shading with effective airflow.


Why Shading Works Better Than Fans Alone

Many homeowners turn to fans when temperatures rise. While fans can improve comfort by moving air around the room, they don't actually stop heat entering the building.

The real problem starts with solar radiation.

When sunlight passes through a window, it is absorbed by:

  • Floors
  • Walls
  • Furniture
  • Soft furnishings

These surfaces then release that stored heat back into the room throughout the day, causing temperatures to continue rising.

Shading tackles the problem at its source by reducing solar gain before it can be absorbed. This means less heat enters the room in the first place.

That's why:

  • Fans can only circulate existing hot air.
  • Mechanical ventilation struggles against continuous solar heat gain.
  • Effective shading helps prevent overheating before it begins.

External shading is particularly effective because it stops the sun's energy before it reaches the glass. Internal shading still provides significant benefits but acts after sunlight has already passed through the window.

Internal vs External Shading: Which Is Best?

External Shading

External products block sunlight before it enters the building, making them the most effective option for reducing heat gain.

Popular solutions include:

  • Awnings
  • External blinds
  • Outdoor shading systems
  • External shutters

According to BBSA guidance, external shading consistently outperforms internal shading when combating overheating.

 Low-E glazing diagram showing how external blinds block solar heat gain in UK homes

Internal Shading

Internal shading remains an excellent option for many UK homes, particularly where external products may not be practical.

Popular choices include:

Modern reflective fabrics and specialist solar-control coatings can help reflect a significant proportion of incoming heat while maintaining privacy and style. The BBSA specifically highlights reflective internal blinds as a practical solution where external shading cannot be installed.

 Reflective roller blind helping reduce summer heat indoors

Simple Tips for Keeping Your Home Cooler

Alongside blinds and shading, homeowners can take a few simple steps to improve summer comfort:

  • Keep blinds and shutters closed during the hottest parts of the day.
  • Open shading and windows during cooler evening and night-time hours.
  • Encourage cross-ventilation where possible.
  • Consider reflective fabrics for south-facing windows.
  • Install external shading on areas that receive prolonged direct sunlight.

Homes most at risk of overheating include:

  • Top-floor flats
  • Properties with limited ventilation
  • Homes with large south, east or west-facing windows
  • Properties with little or no shading protection

Discover Bespoke Cooling Solutions from DB Blinds & Curtains Ltd

Every home is different, which is why the best overheating solution starts with expert advice.

At DB Blinds & Curtains Ltd, we supply and install a wide range of made-to-measure:

As a proud BBSA member, we're committed to helping local homeowners find practical, attractive and effective ways to reduce overheating, control glare and improve comfort throughout the year.

Book Your Free Consultation

If you're looking for ways to keep your home cooler this summer, contact DB Blinds & Curtains Ltd for a free consultation and expert advice on the right shading solution for your property.

Visit: https://dbblindscurtains.co.uk to get in touch.
Browse our products or request a home consultation today.

Final Thought

The evidence is clear. As UK summers continue to warm, shading is no longer just about privacy and aesthetics. BBSA research demonstrates that well-designed blinds, shutters and external shading can dramatically reduce indoor temperatures and help create a more comfortable, energy-efficient home. By stopping solar heat before it becomes trapped indoors, the right shading solution can make a remarkable difference when the next heatwave arrives.

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