Even though we’ve probably forgotten most of what they taught us in math class, numbers will always be a part of everyday life. Our days are regulated by numbers and each day of the month seems to have a particular celebration relegated to it. I am not sure who makes up these special days- no doubt all the marketers who want to sell us more things to clutter up our lives. Every day this month of March, is a day marked for a unique celebration – yes EVERY DAY – from World Compliment Day to National Crunchy Taco Day to International Women’s Day to National Meatball Day to Tolkien Reading Day (Hooray for Hobbits)! I am not kidding as many events dominate each day this month. Since I am thinking about numbers, I have to mention that “PI Day” is March 14, recognizing a perennial mystery as it is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, which might mean there is no end as a circle never ends. For shorthand, PI = 3.14, but for real math scholars, the calculation is endless.
Even though my world revolves around décor and design, even I can’t avoid a few equations, now and then. How else am I supposed to measure all of the different windows that need window treatments and make it easy for you to measure correctly. We need to embrace numbers; we count on them, when we are talking about Blinds and Shades. Now is the perfect time to take a look at some interesting numbers from the world of window coverings.
Here are a few of the delightful digits I was able to dig up.
Worldly Windows
• Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, reaches half a mile into the sky and has roughly 24,000 windows. It takes a team of 36 people about three months to keep them clean.
• The Empire State Building has 6,514 state-of-the-art windows that help block heat but still allow light.
• The largest stained glass window is made up of 2,448 individual panels and totals 22,381 square feet. You can find it in Justice, Illinois at the Resurrection Cemetery.
• In the 17th century, a circular window was often referred to as a “Rose Window”. If you divide their circumference by their diameter – you get 3.14 a.k.a. Pi!
• The world’s largest glass-bottom bridge opened in Zhangjiajie, China in 2016. It’s 984 feet long and if you’re nervous about crossing it, you’re going to have to bring your own blinds to cover up the view.
Closer To Home
• Traditionally, windows are placed about 36 inches above the floor.
• Skylights can provide almost 30% more light than a vertical window of the same size.
• Even though each one is different, the average household window is between 24 to 30 inches wide and 48 to 56 inches tall.
• The average home has one window every hundred square feet, giving the average U.S. home around 17 windows total.
• Windows make up close to 15% of the wall space in an average U.S. home.
Energy Efficient
• Cellular Shades can reduce summer heat gain in your home by as much as 63% and lower heat loss by 20% during winter months.
• It’s estimated that a drafty window can cause up to 35% of the heat in your home to escape.
• The openness factor of Solar Shades inversely refers to how much ultraviolet light will be blocked. For example, shades with a 1% openness will block 99% of UV rays.
• About 40% of the heat that enters your home comes in through your doors and windows.
• Outfitting windows with energy efficient shades can save you an average of $150 on your energy bills each year.
Fun Facts
• It’s estimated that over 500 million birds fly into windows each year. Get those windows covered!
• 99% of our customers install their own Blinds and Shades.
• Edward Bevan patented the first modern horizontal blind on December 11, 1769.
• Cordless window coverings have no hazards and are the ultimate safety window covering for children and pets and really for every window in your home.
• You can order up to 15 FREE Window Swatch Samples at Blindsgalore to make sure your windows are designed in your special style. What are you waiting for?
I may not be a Mathematical Magician (I actually prefer being a Divine Designer), but I can’t help doing a few calculations every now and then. Window treatments seem to bring out the best from both worlds. Custom Blinds and Shades are the marriage of an exact science and artistic expression, giving you a perfect fitting window covering with a look you love. What could be better than that?
