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Why You Need A Waterproof Window Treatment in Seattle

September 29, 2016

No matter where you live, from Seattle to the furthest coast, your home has a need in common with every other one in the country: waterproof window treatments. Whatever the layout of your house, the weather outside, or how many people are living with you, you’ll still have the same rooms with humidity: the kitchen, the laundry room, and your bathrooms.

As you may have figured, not all window treatments are made equal in regards to how capably they handle moisture and water. To help out, we’ll dive into effective each window treatment is at handling moisture and let you know which products are best for the rooms that encounter the most humidity.

Level 1: Window Treatments That Don’t Deal With Moisture

Smart Seattle homeowners are aware that there are a number of materials that won’t mix with water. Just ask the owner of a hardwood floor what humidity can do to lumber. Solid wood has a bad relationship with moisture, as causes wood to bloat and bow, which can make wood window treatments unusable. Extended contact with water can also turn the inherent cavities of the lumber into a haven for bacteria. Due to these facts, solid wood furnishings and window treatments should probably not be chosen for rooms that may get damp such as the bathroom.

Fabric window treatments are also not great with water. Although the harm to fabric won’t be as considerable or visible, long term and recurrent contact with humidity can compromise the weave of several fabrics, and that can lead to discoloring and fabric weakening.

Level 2: Water-resistant Window Treatments

Seattle kitchen faux wood blinds.
 
Albeit not technically waterproof, window treatments in this classification won’t be susceptible to permanent damage when placed in moisture-heavy rooms. This category of window treatments features just about every product labeled as “faux wood,” like faux wood blinds. Faux wood blinds offer the beauty of a solid wood window treatment, adding top-notch fashion to your bathroom and privacy to boot, without the stress that may occur whenever the room becomes too steamed up.

More window treatments that are able to stand up to most of the damage from moisture are aluminum blinds. Although they don’t offer quite the interior fashion appeal and coverage as some other window treatments, aluminum blinds are adaptable. They’re offered in a wide range of hues, with available cut out possibilities and additional features for privacy, while simultaneously being perfect for the kitchen or bathroom. However, blinds that feature cords or fabric bands usually aren’t optimal for moisture-laden areas.

Level 3: Entirely Waterproof Window Treatments

Plantation shutters in Seattle bathroom.
 
Finally, the category that you’ve waited for: the window treatment that laughs off humidity, dampness, liquid and more like they were nothing. Sunburst Shutters Washington is happy to provide one of the small number of entirely waterproof window treatments available in our Polywood® plantation shutters. The best partner for the bathroom or laundry room, Polywood shutters are built from a special compound that is completely invulnerable to the debilitating effects of moisture, whether coming from inside your house or from outdoors.

Don’t believe it? We’ve seen the extent to which Polywood can handle wear, and we’re so confident in its durability that every installation is guaranteed with our Lifetime Limited Warranty. In fact, Polywood shutters could be hosed down and they’d still perform like new, without any issues.

Get Your Windows Ready For Anything, Seattle

If you live in a coastal or humid part of the country, or if you need more effective window treatments for the kitchen, a waterproof window treatment needs to be your top concern. Let Sunburst Shutters Washington help by calling 360-464-2277 to set up your free in-home design consultation. And to receive more suggestions for those rooms and others, take a look at our exclusive Ultimate Room Guide to find the perfect window treatments for every space in your Seattle house!