Sunday
Going Green: Home Window Tinting
Spring is here! As we're slowly crawling out from under the heavy blanket of winter, we'll soon want to prepare our homes for the warmer weather of Spring and Summer.Summer heat usually means cranking up the air conditioner to keep your rooms cool and comfortable. And... that means higher utility bills.
Not only does your HVAC unit put a dent in your wallet, it can also harm the environment. The more energy your home consumes, the more oil or coal has to be burned to provide you with the electricity. Going green is on the tip of everyone's tongue these days and for good reason.
Would you like a tip on how to not only save money on your electric bill but also cut down on the amount of electricity you use?
The California Energy Commission states that 40% of all the heat that comes in to your home is moving through the glass of your windows. My suggestion is not to board up your windows. You want to let in natural light, of course. Natural sunlight keeps you from needing electricity to power your lights and it also can add warmth on cool mornings and evenings.
But, you can make a difference. And it's the same technology you use on your car. Adding window tint can dramatically reduce the amount of heat transfer while still letting in sunlight. There are different window films to choose from.
Some add a darkening tint, similar to your sunglasses to cut down on heat and light. Another type of tint has a reflective surface to push heat and light away from the windows. There are also clear window films that do not prevent as much heat gain as the others but will still allow the same amount of natural light into the room.
You can vary the window tint around your house based on which windows have more or less direct sunlight. Window tinting can be a do-it-yourself process or you can bring in a professional for a quality installation. The California Energy Commission says that the DIY kits may not last as long as the installed window tinting kits, but are more affordable.
Depending on the variety, the window films can cut the amount of heat entering through windows by 15% to nearly 40%! This can lead to lower utility bills because your air conditioner won't have to work as hard to cool your home. If you're building a new home, it could also mean the installation of a smaller or more efficient a/c unit for the house.
Everyone wants to do more for the environment. It's the only one we've got and we need to start doing every thing we can to protect it. Adding fluorescent light bulbs to every light fixture, replacing old appliances with energy-efficient ones, and tinting your home windows are just a few steps you can take to improve your environmental footprint and help your bank account.
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If you need to find a local window tinting service for your home, ConstructionDeal.com can help. Simply submit your window tinting project and get 4 quotes - at no cost - from installers in your area. It's that easy.
You're under no obligation to hire any of them, and there is no charge to find any contractors on our site. It's fast, free and easy to use.
Labels: Energy Efficiency, Saving Money
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I agree about the window tinting. But, depending on the film chosen, you can reduce your homes heat gain by up to 79% with some of the old fashioned reflective films. If the home or business really needs a lot of heat protection, forget about spectrally selective films which are quite expensive, the much lesser expensive reflective lines will do the job and do it well.
As far as visible light transmittance, or the amount of light that still gets through, most people, even with films only allowing 40% of the light to pass through, will feel that they could have gone darker. Why? Glare reduction. Don't forget, bright sun means a lot of heat, but a lot of very intense light as well, which leads to a lot of squinting. By using a film that reduces the amount of light entering the home as well as cutting back on heat gain, you get the triple whammy, UV protection, reduced heat gain and less glare, all from one product. And in the end you will help the environment and save on energy costs every month. Now that is smart.
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As far as visible light transmittance, or the amount of light that still gets through, most people, even with films only allowing 40% of the light to pass through, will feel that they could have gone darker. Why? Glare reduction. Don't forget, bright sun means a lot of heat, but a lot of very intense light as well, which leads to a lot of squinting. By using a film that reduces the amount of light entering the home as well as cutting back on heat gain, you get the triple whammy, UV protection, reduced heat gain and less glare, all from one product. And in the end you will help the environment and save on energy costs every month. Now that is smart.
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