Window Covering Answers

H ow to make a Laminated Roller Shade This is a fine video about how to make your own roller shade. The company here offers all the tools that you need to complete this project. It strikes me that many ready to go roller shades could be utilized in this way, saving money and time.  I haven't tried this yet but I will.... it would be ideal for my own window in my front door. Here is the link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH50yzgeDyA   One of the reasons for having roller shades at the window is energy saving. When you add a layer of vinyl at the window you are breaking the otherwise automatic heat transfer that goes from inside to outside. The vinyl creates an air pocket next to the window that slows the transfer of heat because it creates dead air space. Dead air space slows the convection that often occurs at the window as heated air rises and cold air falls. Hence the dreaded draft at the windows.

    Transparent Solar Cells      http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/188667-a-fully-transparent-solar-cell-that-could-make-every-window-and-screen-a-power-source The link above which takes you to an article from Extremetech.com Recent advances from the University of Michigan promise a new direction for window technologies. Driving the need to replace fossil with solar energy has become a direction for some researchers, and this looks very promising. Although making windows that will create solar power is not happening this year... it appears we are all getting a bit closer. From UCLA a couple of years before this, Professor Yang Yang and his group invented a different transparent solar cell. Here is the link to this article. http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/sci/transparent-solar-cells-turn-windows-power-sources.html