Spring is the Perfect Time to Consider Home Window Tinting

Some days it may not feel like it, but Spring is just around the corner! With warmer weather on the way, this is the perfect time of year to consider home window tinting in Seattle, Washington from ABC Sun Control. So, while you wait for the sun and warm weather to arrive, consider these three reasons you should consider home window tinting for your Spring home improvement project.

Three Benefits of Home Window Tinting

• Greater Energy Efficiency - Modern window films can be used as a retrofit to nearly any window to improve their energy efficiency. By improving the insulating properties of your window unit, window film improves the comfort of your home while reducing the load on your air conditioning system. The result can be a more comfortable home with lower utility bills.
• Protect Furnishings from Fading - UV rays, heat and glare from the sun can cause sun damage to your floors, carpets and furniture. Home window tinting works to block the contributors to fading and extend the life of your furnishings.
• Add Privacy and Decor - Decorative window films can be used on any window where additional privacy is needed. From bathrooms to entryway windows, there are many options to add privacy without sacrificing looks. These films can also be used to add a custom decorative element to nearly any glass panel.

We hope this brief article gave you some ideas on how home window tinting can be the perfect addition to your house this Spring. If you have any questions or would like more information, check out the link located HERE and call us at 800-488-5099 or email us at sales@controlthesun.com. We would be happy to provide a free, no obligation consultation and estimate of implementing window film solution in your home this Spring.

Resolve to Have a More Comfortable and Energy Efficient Home in 2018

With 2018 just getting underway, why not resolve to have a more comfortable and energy efficient home this year? While your home's windows open your space to natural lighting, warmth and views of the outside world, there are also the downsides. Unfortunately these same windows also open you up to high energy costs, heat build-up, excessive glare, and the premature fading of interior furnishings. Implementing a high quality home window film solution can improve the comfort and increase the energy efficiency of your windows and allow you to bask in the sunlight, worry-free.

Some of the Benefits of a Home Window Film

• More Energy Efficient Home - According to the EPA Energy Star Buildings Manual in the United States, approximately half of a home’s utility bills are wasted by loss of heat and heat gain through untreated windows. Home window tinting can significantly improve energy efficiency. With a thin, virtually invisible addition to your home’s existing windows, window films can help you save up to 50% on cooling costs.
• Improved Comfort by Reducing Heat and Glare - Open your blinds, shades, or draperies and let the sunlight in. In addition to blocking heat, home window tint reduces glare by up to 87%, making it easier for you to watch television or work on a computer in the comfort of your home. Because home window films are made with ultra-clear, distortion-free materials, you won’t even know it’s there.
• Reduce Hot and Cold Spots Throughout the Home - Window films can help eliminate hot and cold spots within your home by using film that reduces heat gain coming through the glass in hot areas. This will create a more balanced temperature across the space and reduce the load on your air conditioning system.

If you would like more information on how you this can be the year that you have a more comfortable and energy efficient home, click HERE and then contact us by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com. We would be happy to arrange a free, no obligation consultation and discuss how you can implement a window film solution in your home.

How to Make Older Home Windows More Energy Efficient

Whether we like it or not, Summer is coming to an end and now is the best time to begin considering home improvements to make your house more energy efficient before the cooler temperatures arrive. One of the best ways to improve energy efficiency is by making your window openings perform better. We came across a great article in Times Square Chronicles that discusses ways you can make your older windows more energy efficient. While the article discusses several ways to improve the energy efficiency of your windows, they specifically the benefits of using window films as well. The article states that:

"Window film is an energy efficient layer that can be added to windows, improving how you heat and cool your home. There are solar film options that block ultraviolet rays so it can not just help with heating and cooling issues, but also protect your rugs and furnishings against sun damage."

The window film products we offer can help reject heat in the Summer to saving on cooling costs and retain heat in the Winter to save on heating costs. Not only will your home be more comfortable, but you will be able to keep it that way at a lower cost.

If you would like to check out the entire article in Time Square Chronicles, click HERE.

If you would like more information on the window film products that we offer and how they can make your home more energy efficient, click HERE contact us by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

How to Protect Against Sun Damaged Floors and Furniture This Summer

Summer is here and while most of us welcome the sun, we don't always appreciate the damage it can bring. The extra daylight hours combined with the heat and UV rays can cause sun damaged floors and furniture in your home. This article is designed to examine the true causes of this sun damage and guide you through one of the best ways to avoid ruining a floor or piece of furniture like you see in the picture above. First, let's discuss what exactly causes this type of sun damage. A common misconception is that the sun's UV rays are what cause sun damaged floors, furniture and furnishings. While these UV rays are certainly the largest component that causes fading, as this chart illustrates, they only account for 40% of the total. Solar heat, or the heat you feel passing through your windows and the visible light streaming in are also major contributors. These account for an additional 25% each of the causes of fading. The last factor is listed as "other" as it is comprised of a variety of things that are harder to control and are not major overall contributors. These are things like interior lighting, humidity, etc.

One of the first things you might realize from this chart is that you cannot "stop" ading completely. The fact is that unless the item you want to protect in a dark, climate controlled room, it will typically fade over time. However, if you plan to have the flooring and furniture in a place that will be exposed to these elements, the most you can do is attack the major contributors of fading. By significantly attacking these contributors, you can slow down this fading process and extend the life of your floors or furnishings. For these reasons, one of the best ways to attack the primary causes of sun damage and fading is with window film.

Why Is Window Film a Good Solution?

As mentioned above, most people do not want to "close-up" their home in an effort to stop the damage from occurring. So, assuming the windows will not be covered, you need to attack the factors before they enter the home. Window film is a great option because it attacks all three major contributors of fading before they enter your home. Most professionally installed window films will block 99%+ of the UV rays. In addition, many window films can significantly reduce the heat coming through the window. Finally, it is possible to block up to 60% of the visible light coming through a window without noticeably darkening the window. When you combine the overall reduction in these three factors of fading, you can take a large slice out of the pie shown above. The best part is this protection can be accomplished while retaining the open feel of your home by using window film.

We hope this post shed some light on what the factors of sun damaged floors, furniture and furnishings are and how utilizing window film is one of your best options to address this issue. If you are interested in learning more, contact us by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

Three Reasons Window Film Should Be On Your Home Improvement List

As we head into Summer, most of us likely have a home improvement list we plan on working on in the coming months. In this article, we are going to give you three reasons why implementing a high quality window film should be on that list.

• Increased Home Comfort - Window films work to block excessive heat and glare from entering your home through the glass. Most homes have some windows that get a lot of sun throughout the day. In these areas of the home, there can be hot spots from the heat entering which is often accompanied by irritating glare. Often, in an effort to keep these areas of the home comfortable, your need to adjust your air conditioning. The problem then becomes that the home is often too cool in other areas where the sun is not shining in. By using window films on these specific windows, you can reduce the heat and glare specifically where the problem lies without covering the window with a blind or drapery.
• Reduce Energy Costs - Continuing with the point above, if you have windows that are allowing excessive heat to enter the home, your air conditioning is likely having to work overtime to keep your home comfortable. All that extra running is costing you money. When you reduce the heat entering the home, your air conditioning will not need to work as hard to keep the home comfortable and you will save money on utility bills as a result.
• Preserve Floors, Furniture and Furnishings - Our guess if that other things on your home improvement list may be things like new flooring, some furniture, artwork, etc. If that is true, you want to be sure to protect those things from premature fading and sun damage. The primary sources of sun damage and fading are UV, Heat and Visible Light. Window film works to reduce all three of these primary areas of sun damage. In fact, most films reduce over 99% of the sun's UV rays which accounts for 40% of the total causes of sun damage.

Hopefully these three points have you placing window film on that home improvement list. If you have any questions or would like to arrange a free, no obligation assessment of your home and how window film can help, contact us by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

Here Comes the Sun! Window Film Makes it Alright!

Hopefully the title of this article has The Beatles tune playing in the back of your head. That is what I was thinking about when I sat down to write this article. Summer is coming, and with it, we have the long daylight hours with plenty of sun. While most of us look forward to this time of the year, and all the fun things that it brings, that extra sun can also play havoc in your home, with your health and on your budget. In this article I wanted to focus on three ways that window film can help make all that extra sun alright.

• • Window Film Can Saves Money on Energy Costs - The extra sun that Summer brings also often brings high utility bills because your air conditioning system is working overtime. Through the use of modern window films, you can dramatically reduce the amount of heat entering your home through the glass and subsequently reduce how hard your AC unit has to work to keep the home cool. If your AC system is working less, you are using less energy and your utility bills will reflect that savings.
    In addition, although not specifically a utility bill, your AC unit working less throughout the Summer can extend the service life of that unit and reduce maintenance costs. So, window film can actually save both on the energy cost of running the AC and the maintenance costs associated with the usage of your AC.

• • Window Film Can Make Your Home More Comfortable - The longer Summer days can also bring about things that make your home less comfortable. Specifically, many homeowners deal with excessive glare and hot spots in the home at this time of the year. Whether it is for watching TV, using a computer or just kicking back with your favorite book, glare can make a room an uncomfortable place to be. By using window films strategically in your home, you can reduce the glare in rooms where that is an issue.
    Additionally, does your home suffer from hot and cold spots at this time of the year because one side is in sun most of the day while the other side is in the shade? You can use window film on the side of the home with excessive sun to reduce the heat entering in that area and equalize temperature throughout the home.

• • Window Film Can Preserve Your Furnishings and Your Health - The extra sun that Summer brings can also bring about fading issues with your flooring and furniture. Most windows offer no protection from the UV rays pouring through that account for a full 40% of the factors that cause fading. With modern window films, even the lightest shades block 99+% of the UV rays from entering through the windows. By eliminating this major cause of fading, you have taken a major step to extend the life of your flooring and furnishings.
    Also, The Skin Cancer Foundation has warned that this UV entering your home can also be detrimental to your health. In an article, they state,
    
    "While it’s understood that taking sun safety precautions is important outside, few people realize they can sustain sun damage indoors, too. While both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from the sun can harm the skin and lead to skin cancers, UVB is effectively blocked by glass. However, at least 50 percent of UVA rays can pass through windows. Window film is an increasingly effective solution, offering substantial indoor protection by blocking up to 99.9 percent of UVA radiation."
    
    The use of window film can help block these harmful UV rays and preserve your health in this area. You can read the entire article from The Skin Cancer Foundation by clicking HERE

So, be prepared to welcome in the sun this Summer by preparing your home with a modern window film. If you are interested in discussing the options available for improving your home with window film, contact us by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

Five Things That Can Be Damaged By The Sun In Your Home

The sun gives off UV rays that can be rather harmful. Most people use sunblock because of this very reason — to help protect their skin. However, are you aware that these same harmful UV rays can damage things that are inside of your home? It’s true. Just because there are windows in your house that are blocking some of the UV rays that the sun gives off, that does not mean your furnishings are 100% safe. In fact, that is far from the case.

Luckily, inventions like window film exist. Not only can window film help reduce the rate of fading, which we will cover in greater detail later, but they help to eliminate excessive heat and glare from the sun. Can you imagine a world where your TV doesn’t have any signs of glare during the middle of the day? That life is possible with window film.

You might be wondering how window film works, and how it can actually help protect furnishings in your home from sun damage. Here are the exact ways 3M Window Films help reduce rate of fading:

• Block up to 99% of harmful UV rays — the principal cause of fading
• Reject solar heat, which can continually heat fabrics and other surfaces, causing them to break down and discolor over time
• Filter visible light, which can accelerate fading

There are plenty of bonuses with window film. For instance, this great technology can help lower energy costs and eliminate hot spots. Everyone has that one room in their home that they don’t go in during the day because it is filled with heat from the sun shining in. With 3M Window Films by ABC Sun Control, these hot spots can help to be reduced.

Five things that can be damaged by the sun in your home

• Fabrics and upholstery
• Window treatments
• Wallpaper
• Natural wood floors
• Photos , paintings and other furnishing.

3M Window Films are a brilliant option to help preserve these items for a longer period of time. Don’t let the sun fade and ruin your furnishings. If they aren’t protected, they can be very expensive to replace. You may not notice your furniture fading after a week of sun exposure, but you will see a difference over time as your furnishings start to fade. Window treatments help reduce hot spots, glare and sun damage to your belongings but that comes with a cost. With window treatments, natural light and your view is also being blocked out. With 3M Window Films, you continue to maintain your view and let the light in.

There is a way to protect your furniture, art, hardwood floors and other furnishings in your home, and that starts and ends with 3M Window Films by ABC Sun Control. If you are interested in learning more, contact us by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

Protection from Sun-Caused Faded Floors and Furnishings

Furnishing a home can be expensive. From flooring to furnishings, the costs can add up quick. With so much invested, doesn't it make sense to take steps to protect that investment? While we all love open and airy homes with lots of windows, the biggest threat to your floors and furnishings can be right outside those same windows, the Sun. The sun is one of the primary causes of faded floors and furnishings. Most people do not want to sacrifice their views and the open feeling of their home to protect their floors and furniture from the sun, so what can be done? One of the best ways to attack the primary causes of sun damage and fading is with window film. This article will examine exactly what causes the fading and damage to occur and how window film is a great solution to consider.

A common misconception is that UV rays are what cause faded floors and sun damage to furnishings. While they are certainly the largest component, as this chart illustrates, they only account for 40%. Solar heat and visible lights are also major contributors, accounting for 25% of the problem. The last factor is comprised of a variety of this we simply put under the heading "Other". These are things like interior lighting, humidity, etc.

The first thing this chart demonstrates is that you cannot "stop" fading completely unless the item you want to protect in a dark, climate controlled room. In real life, the most you can do is attack the major contributors of fading in a significant enough way to slow down the process. By slowing the process, you extend the life of your floors or furnishings.

Why Is Window Film a Good Solution?

As mentioned above, most people do not want to "close-up" their home in an effort to stop the damage from occurring. So, assuming the windows will not be covered, you need to attack the factors before they enter the home. Window film is a great option because it attacks all three major contributors of fading. Most professionally installed window films will block 99%+ of the UV rays. In addition, many window films can significantly reduce the heat coming through the window. Finally, it is possible to block up to 60% of the visible light coming through a window without noticeably darkening the window. When you combine these three factors, you can take a large slice out of the pie shown above. This protection can be accomplished while retaining the open feel of your home by using window film.

We hope this brief article shed some light on what the factors of faded floors, rugs and furniture are and how utilizing window film is one of your best options to address this issue. If you are interested in learning more, contact ABC Sun Control by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.