Guest Author, Claudia Beck, is an interior designer and writer for Clearview Security She has a passion for home designing and improvements and lives in Perth, Australia.
There are countless ways to give a space a new look. New floors, new counters, new paint, new windows…but without actually having to replace the windows.
I can see you scratching your head. How do you get the look of new windows, without new windows?
What about functionality? Most people don’t really think about increasing their windows temperature efficiency or even sun glare with secondary products.
Well this is where it’s at folks.
Innovative window film is an energy efficiency upgrade!
Well thanks to some great new innovations in window film there is a simple and quick way to give your windows, and the rooms attached to them, a fun and fresh new look. It all means minimal effort and expense while at the same time you will make great strides in increasing your home’s energy efficiency and control the level of light exposure.
Window films work by reflecting and reducing the amount of ultraviolet light and solar heat that streams in through glass windows. The advantages of window film application are numerous and allow homes or offices to exercise a measure of control over the suns impact on their internal space.
Window film reduces the over dependence of households on air-conditioning systems to regulate temperatures hence huge amounts of electricity can be saved on a yearly basis. In fact, most films reduce heat gain up to at least 70% during hot months in just about every climate zone.
Applying different thicknesses of window film on windows can in fact help keep temperatures inside steady. Whether in the baking heat of an Australian summer or the snowy winter served up by the mountains of Colorado.
Exterior temperature concerns need also not play havoc with your outdoor viewing enjoyment. Window film minimizes the need to block out the sun or the cold with heavy blinds or curtains.
Window film can help you enjoy the light coming in your windows while helping to insulate and maintain interior temperatures, which will also decrease your heating and cooling energy costs.
Of course, window film comes in a range of applications…
Decorative window film
Have you ever seen gorgeous stained glass windows and wished you could have at least one to showcase in your own home?
Even if you have, chances are you’d not be so keen on the time or cost associated with real stained glass.
Well good news! Now you can give your windows an ornate stained glass effect in minutes with stained glass window film. Quite simply, window film is a versatile way to pretty-up your windows, increase privacy and as mentioned, insulate from outside weather.
Much like the tinting of automobile windows, window film can be installed over your existing windows for either a quick aesthetic change.
Decorative window films can be used to help update a space, as a statement piece, or to increase privacy in certain rooms of the house such as the bathroom while adding a pretty accent.
These aesthetically enhancing films are an easy way to update the look of a room, and of course the decorative aspect does not limit the film’s energy efficiencies in any way.
Window films are a plus for privacy – and safety!
Another feature of window films is privacy.
It’s a delicate balance between enjoying a light and bright home or office and not letting the world outside peer into your most personal spaces.
One way to enjoy the best of both worlds is with window privacy film.
There are many options out there for opaque films that let the light in, but keep nosey neighbor’s eyes out. You can use these in a downstairs bathroom, a picture window in a master bath that was not finished with privacy glass, French doors leading into an office, or light box style front doors that are beautiful but are lacking when the local postal worker drops off your latest parcel post delivery.
Some styles are a basic flat matte finish that can be used anywhere. Others can incorporate patterns that maintain the sense of privacy while also enhancing the décor. So go ahead and take your time enjoying that soak in the bath on a sunny day with the peace of mind that Bob next door is none the wiser!
While no one likes the prying eyes of their neighbors peeking in their windows, another thing that can be just as annoying is glaring sunlight.
If safety is top of mind for you, you’re in for the added treat that hi-tech window films allow for better protection from things like accidents, effects of natural disasters, persons attempting to break and enter your home, even explosions, along with preventing glass from shattering and splintering.
Say goodbye to glare
You may absolutely love the sun streaming in most of the day, but when a certain time of day hits there is usually an intolerable glare from that very sun that can sear your retinas in three seconds flat.
What can you do to combat this “window” of sunlight?
Yet another feature of window film can save you that discomfort by providing glare protection from even the most unforgiving beams of sunlight.
Like the different thickness levels of insulating films, these glare-reducing window films come in different transmission percentage levels so you can pick how much or how little light you’d like pouring in during the day. This can also reduce, or eliminate, the need for additional window treatments to mitigate the glare.
Who knew there were so many ways to dress a window these days?
All of these options have different features and solve different problems, yet can even be used for multiple purposes at the same time.
So whether your problem is extreme temperatures, too much exposure to the world outside, a megawatt beam of sunlight, or just a drab space, there is a window film that can meet your needs. With a little bit of research, and a quick application, you can be well on your way to enjoying your space, and your windows, that much more.
If you’re interested in investigating window film for your home or office, be sure to get in touch with a local glass fabricator or energy consultant to point you in the right direction.