Inexpensive window film has many benefits, from cutting energy bills to preventing break-ins

TAMPA - When the summer sun penetrates windows your home's inside temperature rises, along with your cooling bill.
Homeowners are often frustrated about how to address the problem, but Angie Hicks, founder of the consumer group Angie’s List, says the solution might be easier and cheaper than you think: solar window film.

“Everybody has a one or two rooms in the house that are hotter than others," Hicks says, "and those are generally rooms with larger windows and more sun exposure especially where windows face east and west.”

If your air conditioner never seems to be able to cool off certain rooms, or your furniture or flooring is fading, solar film might make all the difference. It's relatively inexpensive and new technology makes it almost clear, not like the dark window tint you see on cars.

“Cost for adding window film to your windows is dependant on the type of film you use. Usually it varies from $6 to $14 per square foot. The total cost is then determined by the number windows and the size of the windows.”

Kevin Koval has been installing window film for more than ten years. “Window film is an aftermarket product applied to your existing windows," he says. "It is a polyester base that has different materials sandwiched in between a couple of layers to give different properties. We are typically looking to stop UV, heat and excessive glare.”

Applied to the inside of the windows, solar film keeps ultraviolet light away from the interior of the home and improves your home’s energy efficiency – that controls the temperature year-round. Newer technology includes film that helps retain heat during the winter, as well as reject heat during the summer. Cutting UV light will also minimizes fading of flooring and furnishing.

Koval explains another benefit you might not have thought of. “In the event of someone trying to break the glass or break your window to gain entry into the house, the film is acting as a barrier. So it’s going to hold that glass together and impede their progress. It’s not necessarily bullet-proof. The glass is still going to break. But in most cases if you were to take a rock or a brick and try to throw it through the glass, it’s going to splinter and hold together, similar to what a windshield in your car does. Sometimes that might scare them off, at the very least it’s going to take them longer to get through the window.”

Installing window film is usually a one day job. Koval says the most important part of the process is the cleaning. "Anything that gets left behind while we put that film on top of it is going to be there forever – it’s going to become a fossil in between the film and the glass. So, when we come in we spend just as much time on the cleaning side as we do actually applying the film to the glass.”

Angie’s List offers these tips for picking a window film and hiring a company:

• The key to successful performance of the film depends greatly on the installation. Well-reviewed companies on Angie’s List thoroughly clean the windows before custom cutting and seamlessly applying the film. Poor installation typically leads to the film bubbling, cracking or peeling.

• Look for an installer who is certified by the International Window Film Association as a solar control specialist, and always inspect the product packaging before it is installed to ensure it is the same product you ordered.

• Most quality films come with a lifetime warranty and can easily last 30 years with the products now made almost completely clear. With different film types for different windows, a professional installer can make recommendations on what film type best suits your needs.

• It is important to note that adding solar film to a window will likely void the window manufacturer’s warranty, but most film companies will pick up that warranty word-for-word.

• Maintenance is minimal. Homeowners should wait 30 days for the film to adhere and then clean their windows as they normally would with a non-abrasive cleaner.

• If you have a window that has condensation or an inefficient frame, your best bet is to have a window company provide a quote and performance rating for a new, energy efficient window. Then, compare that cost and rating with the window film to see which option is best for you.

Finally, there are federal tax credits available for certain products up to 10 percent of the cost or $500.