Stained Glass Window Film

photo credit: loop_oh

Homeowners that live in a year round hot climate know what it means when I talk about  “house window tinting“.    The snowbirds of the Midweast and East coast don’t quite appreciate the difference between 80 degrees and 120 degrees like those in South and Southwestern USA do.   A little bit of relief from the heat can really make a big difference in the comfort of your home.

Office workers have seen this type of window tinting on their workplace building windows  for years.  Luckily, this window film technology has been developed and made available to us as individual homeowners. What is solar window tinting for your home?  Why would you consider it?  And would you like to save money by learning how to install it yourself?  Lets’ find out more.

Residential window tinting is a modern day static cling film that applies to the inside (easiest) of a home’s windows.  There are several high quality manufacturers like 3M or Gila that make exceptional window tinting that can block up to 90 to 99% of Ultraviolet rays.  Not only do they protect against UV radiation, but the window film also is tinted providing a reflective surface to bounce the suns rays off of.  There are different degrees of tinting that can be purchased and you’ll be best served seeing them in person, or ordering samples online.

Because of this varied reflective surface, the homeowner can also benefit from increased privacy.  A mirrored appearance is presented to those outside the home and yet the people inside can see out perfectly.   Think of it as sunglasses for your windows. 

Once  the tinted window film is in place, over the course of the hot summer months, the amount of electricity that is required to cool your home should be reduced.  Over a single month, the lower bill should be definitely noticable. Some owners claim 10%, while I’ve also seen claims of up to 20%.  Of course, it also depends on your particular location (Atlanta vs. Phoenix), and your homes layout and number of windows.    At this level of efficiency, over the course of a year or even a home’s lifetime, the savings can be significant.

But how do you install this film?   Well house window tinting is applied using simple household tools.  A spray bottle, a straight edge and a sharp pair of scissors and utility knive are great starting points.  I’ve also put together an 8 step process here for decorative window film installation.  Solar film installation is essentially the same procedure. I hope this is helpful for those of you thinking about tackling this project.  It really is fairly easy.

Of course the intial cost of buying the film may seem like your losing money, but since you are saving on professional installation, and also since electricity costs are only going to go up in the future, this is a home decorating  idea that makes sense for saving money in a  home that is located in a warmer climate.  Not only that, but traditional window treatment costs can be much more expensive.  Some of the fancier treatments like bamboo blinds can be several hundreds of dollars.   Do more research on our website or from other sources online.