How Solar Control Window Film Can Block the Sun Before it Gets In
What is Solar Control Window Film?
Nothing creates a better atmosphere in your house than opening the windows and letting in the sun’s natural light. However, without film, your windows also let unnecessary heat flow in during the summer and the chilling cold creep in during the winter. Not only does this make your home’s temperature more uncomfortable, but it also raises your cooling and heating costs as well.
That’s where solar control window film comes in. These products work at both controlling your home’s temperature, as well as protecting you from the sun’s harmful UV rays. The best part is that window films can do this without restricting natural light. Here’s how a good solar control window film can block the sun before it gets in.
Control the Temperature and Control Your Costs
Although curtains and blinds certainly help with heat control, they also eliminate any natural light from entering your house. For that reason, solar control window film is a better option. Window films can block the sun’s heat while still allowing its light to pour through. In fact, 3M Window Films can even stop as much as 78% of the sun’s heat from entering your home.
In addition to blocking heat in the summer, solar control window film also does a great job of keeping cold air out in the winter. Specifically, Low-E window films increase your windows’ insulation power by reflecting and dispersing heat back into your house. As a result, the increased heat retention you’ll get from solar control window films will make it feel like you’ve added an entirely new windowpane.
Because solar control window films work as increased insulation, you’ll ultimately save money on your energy bills all year long. In the summer, you can keep your house cool without overrunning your air conditioning. And in the winter, the heat retention can give your furnace a break. More here.
Reflective and Non-Reflective Window Films
But how does a simple film over your window really manage to keep your energy costs so low? Most solar window film comes in one of two versions. Each version has its own unique properties that perform different functions.
The first type of solar window film is reflective. One of the major properties of reflective films is its ability to absorb energy. In addition, reflective solar window film can successfully reject solar energy.
Non-reflective window film is the second type of solar control film. These films are specifically designed to absorb any unwanted light and heat from the sun.
How Does Solar Control Window Film Work?
No matter which solar control window film you look at, however, they all strive to filter out and deflect varying degrees of energy from the sun. Simply put, the sun transmits its energy through waves through different lengths: UV, visible light, and infrared. Since all of the sun’s waves arrive at once and represent different forms of energy, it would be challenging to develop a single window film that blocks all of them.
As a result, experts have developed a number of solar performance measurements used to grade window films. The two most popular measurements are Total Solar Energy Rejected (TSER) and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC).
TSER measures a window film’s ability to reject the sun’s heat. The measurements are calculated in percentages. As TSER percentages increase, so does the film’s effectiveness. In addition, window films with higher TSER ratings also tend to have a darker tint.
On the other hand, SHGC measures how much solar energy that passes through the film. In addition, SHGC accounts for the heat energy transferred into the room due to sunlight heating the glass and film. Unlike TSER, better SHGC measurements are lower numbers.
Interior Window Films Vs. Exterior Window Films
Believe it or not, exterior solar control window films are a recent invention. While window films in general have been around for quite some time, until recently, they were primarily installed on the interior of the window. Interior window films work by allowing the sun’s heat to first pass through the glass before hitting the film and bouncing back.
And while this works well for single-pane windows, it can cause major problems for people with double-pain windows. The issue is that the sun’s energy can pass through each pane twice. Ultimately, this results in serious heat buildup between both panes.
On the other hand, exterior solar control window films are installed on the outside of the glass. As a result, you can block the sun before it even gets in. This is especially beneficial for people with dual pane windows since you can prevent the heat buildup between the two panes. Next article here.
Another benefit of using exterior window films is increased protection against scratches made by children or pets. Exterior films are also great solutions to tint windows that are difficult to access from the inside of your home.
3 Great Window Films
With so many options available for solar control window films, choosing the right one can be a challenge. In addition, many people want to find a window film that not only works well but can also be purchased at an affordable price. Depending on your needs, one of these three great solar control window film products may be the perfect fit for you!
3M Daylight Redirecting Film
One of the simplest yet most effective window film is the 3M Daylight Redirecting Film. The main feature of this window film is that it redirects close to 80% of all sunlight towards the ceiling. As a result, you’ll be able to provide natural right as deep as 40 feet away from the window.
This window film is particularly ideal for businesses. Studies show that natural light from the sun positively corelates with workplace productivity. An added bonus is that the deep vibrant light brought in through this filter can help make you less reliant on electric lighting.
3M Sun Control Window Film
Another great option is the 3M Sun Control Window Film. This film does a great job at blocking both infrared light and UV rays from the sun. In fact, it can reject as much as 97% of all infrared light.
In addition to lowering energy costs, this film also provides more comfort and extra protection against the sun’s harmful rays. Since it effectively rejects UV rays from entering the room, it can also protect your personal property from fading.
Another benefit of this window film is its environmentally friendly properties. One feature is that within six months of installation, this film becomes carbon negative. Additionally, it’s resilient to corrosion and doesn’t cause signal interference due to its non-metallic properties.
3M Safety & Security Window Film
The 3M Safety & Security Window Film is one of the most reliable solar tint films on the market. At a low cost, this film provides phenomenal protection against hazards caused by glass shards. In addition, this film also does an exceptional job at rejecting heat from the sun.
This reflective film also reduces external glare while also enhancing privacy. Featuring silver tones, this film also looks stylish on most house exteriors. Overall, this solar control window film gives you great heat control and UV protection at a very reasonable price.
No matter which product you choose, solar control window films give your home a major upgrade. By blocking the sun’s harmful UV rays and providing heat control, a good window film protects your belongings from fading while keeping you comfortable.
In addition, the increased insulation will ultimately save you money on energy bills all year long. With solar control window films, you can continue letting natural light flow in without the sun’s harmful effects.