8 Ways Window Tinting Can Keep Cooling Costs Down

You may have read somewhere that residential window tinting can save you money on your cooling costs. Well, according to the website energy.gov, this is certainly true. Window tinting is listed as an energy-efficient window treatment. 40% of the heat buildup in the home comes in through it's windows. Window film helps by blocking the heat and harmful UV rays that cause furniture and carpeting to fade or look bleached in spots.During summer one of the biggest expenses of the month is your cooling bill. One of the best ways to lower your cooling costs is to not use your air conditioner as often, but that may be an impossible task depending on where you live. Of course the less you use of something, the less it costs. What you can do, if you can't turn off your air conditioner completely, is to lower the thermostat a few degrees during the hottest part of the day. Covering sun-facing windows in the afternoon blocks heat and keeps down humidity making your cooling system work m…
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How to Remove Residential Window Tinting

Whether the film on your home's windows is fading, bubbling, or you're just tired of looking at it, getting rid of it can seem like a challenge. Rather than simply trying to peel it off and then deal with the sticky mess that's left behind, try these three simple techniques for removing residential window tinting.1. SteamThe easiest way to remove window tinting is using steam and patience. A fabric steamer works best and if you don't already own one, an inexpensive model can usually be purchased for under $30. You can also try a tile and grout steamer or a floor steam cleaner. Make sure to have several razor blades on hand for scraping as well.Hold the steamer up to one corner of the window and allow the area to heat up. The adhesive will begin to soften and you'll be able to lift up one corner of the tint with your fingernail or a razor blade. Hold the steamer so it heats under the lifted corner and very slowly work your way across the window. Take your time and do…
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The Pros and Cons of Window Film

Window film is a thin coating that's often applied to the inner side of windows in homes, cars and boats.One of the main advantages of retrofitting your home's windows with window tint is glare reduction and the retention of heat in the colder, winter months and the retention of cool air in the warmer, summer months.Window Film and Energy Savings It's estimated that two-thirds of AC and heating expenses are squandered by poorly insulated windows. If you don't have a window film currently in your home, chances are you're watching your utility expenses shoot out the window.The US Department of Energy even says that taking energy-saving steps like caulking and applying window tint can result in hundreds of dollars in energy savings annually.In a 2011 study, the US Department of Energy also found that in 50 commercial buildings one of the quickest and surest ways of saving money on energy savings was to apply window film.In fact, window film received a "top-…
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Getting to Know Residential Window Film

Getting residential window film installed on your home's windows can do everything from slash your annual heating expenses to reduce glare and UV damage.Window film is technically a laminate coating made from polyester. The reason polyester is used is that it blends with the natural clarity of your windows and retains its shape over time.The film itself is only a few millimeters thick and it fits snugly on the interior side of your window with the help of some adhesive.Dyed Window Film A window film that is dyed (colored) prevents UV damage and glare just like sputtered or deposited film. The key difference is that dyed window film actually absorbs the harmful UV rays from the sun instead of deflecting or reflecting them.There are many benefits to going with a dyed window film. Dyed window films come in a variety of colors to match your decor and their darker hue can actually prevent theft and enhance home's privacy.The downside to using a dyed window film is that…
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Reasons to Give Decorative Window Tinting a Try

Installing decorative window tinting can reduce glare, lower your utility bills and block harmful UV rays from entering your home virtually overnight.Since residential window tinting comes in a spectrum of hues and patterns as well, you could easily apply a  no-nonsense, dark tint in your living room and a stained glass tint in your bathroom, or mix and match to suit your aesthetics and home's decor.Decorative Window Tinting Window tinting need not be dark and one-size-fits-all. You can find window tints that emulate stained glass or tints that have a frosted look and seamlessly create privacy in your home.Stained Glass Window Tint.  Mom and pop shops around the country already use these kinds of window tint to beautify their brick-and-mortar storefronts and create more privacy for customers.Stained glass window tint is a great decorative option for home bathrooms as well. A lot of these stained glass films are static cling, which means that you don't need to use an…
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How Residential Window Tinting Can Reduce Your Utility Bills

You may have already heard that residential window tinting can give your home more privacy and a greater sense of comfort.While that's true, residential films can also lend an aesthetic quality to your home and allow you to customize the particular tint and hue that goes with your room's layout. A residential film can also give you more privacy while reducing glare and harmful UV rays.The really surprising thing about window film, though, is its ability to reduce your utility bills 365 days a year.Going Green with Residential Window Tint Residential window tint is a great way to help save the planet and your own personal financial ecosystem at the same time.As Americans spend, and in some cases squander, hundreds of dollars on heating and cooling during months of more extreme weather, something needs to be done to put more money back into homeowners' pockets. The solution is coming from an unconventional player: residential window film.The Environmental Protection…
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How to Remove Residential Window Film

Window film can be handy if you are looking to help control the temperature inside your home, or you are looking to block out light and add privacy to a space. It is not so handy when you are looking to increase the curb appeal of your home, or you are ready to make changes to your windows.If you have window film firmly in place on your homes windows, you may be wondering if it is even possible to have it removed. The answer is yes. The good news is with a little work, you can remove the window film by yourself, leaving your windows looking sparkly clean.Four Steps to Removing Residential Window FilmThe first thing you will want to do is get the corners of the window tint up. You may already have corners that are peeling and you can easily grab an edge, or you may need to use a razor or scraper to get the edges of the window film up. Once you have an end up you can start to peel back the window film. You want to pull the film up slowly. You can go from top to bottom…
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Professional Window Tint Levels

Car Tinting- For Your InformationFor automobiles in California the legal window tint levels are measured by the VLT percentage. VLT stands for Visible Light Transmission, which is the amount of light that passes through a tinted window. For example, a 5% VLT is a very dark window that only allows 5% of the light from outside through the window. In California, the windshield can have no tint except on the top four inches, and the front side windows must have at least 70% of outside light in. All other car windows can be tinted to any VLT percentage.Commercial and Residential Window TintingCalifornia has no laws regulating the VLT percentages of commercial and residential windows, so you can tint the windows at your home or office as dark as you want to. The best way to tint residential and office windows is to purchase window tinting film. This material adheres to the inside of your windows and provides many benefits including less UV radiation reaching you indoors, keep…
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