Building Film Recommendations
Many today are jumping on the "Green" band wagon and switching over to renewable energy resources, recycling methods and energy conservation practices not only to save the environment but to save money. With numerous great ideas available, which one do you pick first to do the most good? The answer is simple, start with the items that affect your savings account first. That narrows the field, but what is a top priority? The car, the waste, the electric bill? One particular way consumers can begin to save money is by the way the heat and cool their homes. Interested? Keep reading.
Window film has been in existence considering that the 1960's and it has been called anything from glass tinting to the purple wrinkled stuff you find on the car windows of yesteryear. Today that is no longer the situation. Film technology has made leaps and bounds considering that the days of dyed films to metalized products that can be not just more energy efficient, but don't change color or buckle with time, come with abrasion resistant coatings and may also block up to 99.9% of the UV that intrudes upon your personal environment. With the capability to bounce energy back in to the home, whether or not it is heating or cooling, window film might make your house more effective and reduce the total amount of money you spend on living in a comfortable environment. How does it do this?
Many manufacturers are using metalized films made from a number of metals like Titanium, Platinum, Nickel, Copper, Silver and Ceramic, most are composite blends. These kinds of products reflect energy back in to the home, the very energy your pumping out, thus saving energy loss through clear glass. I determine what you are thinking. You are saying to yourself, "I have dual pane gas filled windows and they are the best on the market for energy control". Your right, they're good, but window film will make them even better. Most windows, even the high tech dual pane ones, lose energy. Window film acts like an insulating barrier to significantly reduce energy loss and boost the over all efficiency of the windows performance, thus making your HVAC system work less. Now that makes window film worth looking at.
So how do you choose which film is suitable for your house? Leave that to the professionals. Window film installation companies are professionally trained to look at your preferences and select a product that's right for you as well as your home. This is a very important step since many homes today use dual pane glass and film selection is critical. Why? Should the wrong film is selected for a dual pane glass, let's say a non-reflective smoke film which is very dark, the heat absorption level rises to a very high temperature causing stress on the glass. The end result may very well be a thermal fracture of the glass or premature seal failure. In contrast, using metalized films reduces the absorption level to a comfortable degree thus reducing the possibility of problems. I say reducing since there could be some hidden issues like a pre-existing crack or damaged seal. It happens.
Another advantage to have window film professionally installed is the warranty. Check with the salesman as to the kind of warranty offered and who handles the claim if it's ever needed. Many give a "Limited Lifetime Warranty" and handle the claim hop over to these guys the manufacturer, some don't. Make sure to select the product manufacturer wisely. this goes double for the installation company too. Be sure they have a long history with window film products and also a good reputation with the movie manufacturer. If there is some type of accreditation from the producer for the installation company, check if they show this on their website or business card. This demonstrates a high level of professional achievement in most cases. Also, ask for references on other work they have done, both residential and commercial. Lastly, ask lost of questions should you not know the answers. Knowledge is power and the masses need education.
