Myth Buster- Does Window Film Need To Be Dark To Work?

Dark window film isn&#;t necessary for controlling the sun&#;s energy as it enters the interior of a building. Visibly clear window film can be just as effective as a dark window film.

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One reason some consumers may think window film should appear dark is because the products have been referred to as &#;tint&#;. In fact the name tint, in reference to window film, is a holdover from the s. Early window films were essentially dyed polyester material or else dyed polyester with a reflective coating (or reflective film layer) added to absorb the sun&#;s heat or reflect it outward. The darker the film, the more heat was absorbed. The shinier the film, the more heat was reflected.

Today&#;s window films are still made of polyester, but they have advanced significantly and offer a wide variety of high-performance features. Window films may have many layers of different coatings, each designed to manage sunlight and heat in various ways. They also may be in different thicknesses, different colors, have multiple layers, appear to be non-shiny (much of the reflectance is now invisible) and have scratch resistant coatings.

Window film can block up to 84 percent of the sun&#;s heat. A primary benefit of window film is its ability to reflect the sun&#;s heat energy before it enters a room, thus providing for savings on energy bills and reduced air conditioning loads.

Window films can appear visibly clear and still help the consumer to reduce their utility bills, maintain a comfortable interior temperature, block over 95% of the sun&#;s UV rays, cut the sun&#;s glare and add a measure of safety to the glass by helping to hold it together when impacted and broken.

Window films are also rated for how much light they allow in; this performance specification is called Visible Light Transmission, or VLT. A window film with a VLT of 25 percent indicates a film that allows 25 percent of the visible light to pass through a window. The lower the rating or percentage associated with the film, the darker the appearance of the window film. A film with 65-75 percent VLT would appear nearly clear.

All quality window films help to reduce many of the negative effects of sunlight, while still allowing sufficient natural sunlight to enter. If you had been using shades or drapes to keep out glare and possibly heat, window film may make your home&#;s interior much brighter as you no longer need to block out the sunshine just to keep your home cooler and have less glare.

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Article Credit:  International Window Film Association

Learn more about Solar Gard window films: https://www.solargard.com/au/

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Comments

Post by LittleMaggieMae » Mon Mar 27, 4:39 pm

I added the film that helps keep the heat from the sun out of my house to the windows on the southern side of my house.

I put the film on the interior side of the double hung windows. It does work really well. It was easy to install - but as noted - it can be difficult to get it to be perfect. Especially if you don't have a helper to help with the installation.

I have window treatments - curtains or blinds that hide my crappy job of getting the film on the windows. I even patched together pieces of the film on one window - but I'm the only one who knows it looks bad. The curtains or blinds hide the seams and bubbles and crinkles.

With the film I can leave my sheer curtains on year round or leave the blinds open most days during the summer without adding more heat to my house.

If you need your window to look flawless - I believe there are professionals who will install the film for you. Or maybe you and another person or two can work together to better get the film installed with fewer flaws.

I did mine by myself. And I'm pretty sure I could do a better dramatically better job if I had a "helper" - an extra set of hands.

Be aware of privacy issues... at night, with a light on inside, you will no longer be able to see out the window (it's reflective) - but anyone outside will be able to see in. I can watch my neighbors across the alley - when they are in their kitchen and I can see into their upstairs bedroom (well the ceiling fan and door frame - and their little kids when they use their bed as a trampoline ) They have tinted windows and no window treatments - I'm guessing because they do not realize it's easy to see into their home at night.

I have exterior storm windows and then 75 year old double hung windows.I added the film that helps keep the heat from the sun out of my house to the windows on the southern side of my house.I put the film on the interior side of the double hung windows. It does work really well. It was easy to install - but as noted - it can be difficult to get it to be perfect. Especially if you don't have a helper to help with the installation.I have window treatments - curtains or blinds that hide my crappy job of getting the film on the windows. I even patched together pieces of the film on one window - but I'm the only one who knows it looks bad. The curtains or blinds hide the seams and bubbles and crinkles.With the film I can leave my sheer curtains on year round or leave the blinds open most days during the summer without adding more heat to my house.If you need your window to look flawless - I believe there are professionals who will install the film for you. Or maybe you and another person or two can work together to better get the film installed with fewer flaws.I did mine by myself. And I'm pretty sure I could do a better dramatically better job if I had a "helper" - an extra set of hands.Be aware of privacy issues... at night, with a light on inside, you will no longer be able to see out the window (it's reflective) - but anyone outside will be able to see in. I can watch my neighbors across the alley - when they are in their kitchen and I can see into their upstairs bedroom (well the ceiling fan and door frame - and their little kids when they use their bed as a trampoline) They have tinted windows and no window treatments - I'm guessing because they do not realize it's easy to see into their home at night.

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