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.

How to Save on Home Energy Costs this Summer with Window Films

With Summer just around the corner, we wanted to share some ways that window films can help save you on home energy costs this season. While Summer is a favorite time of the year for many people, the high temperatures can cause your utility bills to skyrocket. In this article, we wanted to discuss how window film can reduce the load on your air conditioning system which saves you money on utility bills and also system maintenance. First, we wanted to explain how window film works to reduce the load on your air conditioning system. Simply, window film reduces the amount of heat that is coming into your home through the windows. During the middle of the day, when the Sun is the most intense, you air conditioning system might be struggling just to keep up with the demand. Unfortunately, this demand for air conditioning is also happening all throughout your area at the same time. This causes a peak demand period for energy and the utility company and enables them to charge a premium on the energy you use during this period. The good news is that 

window film is most effective at precisely this time by reducing the heat making its way into your home through the windows. This reduction in heat coming in translates to your air conditioning not having to work as hard, and use as much energy, to keep your home comfortable.

In addition, by reducing the heat entering the home, the air conditioning system will not need to run constantly to keep up. This not only saves you money on energy costs, but will also save you maintenance money from wear and tear on your air conditioning unit. Any air conditioning unit is made of of numerous components that each have an effective service life. The longer, and harder, a unit is forced to run, the faster these parts wear out and need replacing. Also, as parts degrade they often do not work as efficiently as they did when new. This inefficiency translates into more energy being needed to get the same results in home cooling.

We hope this brief article helped shed some light on how window film can be a vital component in helping you save on home energy costs this Summer and for many years to come. If you would like more information about window film and how they can be implemented into your home, 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.

Window Insulation for Home Comfort and Energy Efficiency

We wanted to share this great proof of technology regarding our 3M Thinsulate window film and how it can improve your home comfort and energy efficiency. This client has a variety of windows that they wanted to insulate from the heat leaving in the Winter and the Heat entering in the Summer. We arranged to have a thermal infrared camera to capture the effects the film was having and the results were eye opening. In the picture above, you can see the windows above the sink. The one on the left has 3M Thinsulate installed and the one of the right does not. You can see from the infrared image that the treated window is retaining the heat and is providing valuable insulation. The untreated window is allowing the heat to escape through the glass as seen by the dark reddish/purple color of the window pane. The blue areas show that the window frame and walls in some areas are not even insulating as well as the treated glass now is.

The best part, is that once 3M Thinsulate is installed, you can barely detect anything is even on the glass. The picture shown is of these same windows. The one on the left is treated and the one on the right has not been treated yet.

The owner of the of the home was the individual that wanted the proof of technology via the thermal infrared camera. After the product was installed and he saw the images, he had this to say about how the 3M Thinsulate Window Film worked.

For decades, insulation has been used in the walls and ceilings of our homes to control the flow of heat between inside and out. 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film works much in the same way. It improves the insulation value of a typical single pane window to that of a double pane window and a double pane window to a triple pane window. This improves home comfort by keeping the warmth in during the winter and the heat out in the summer.

Some of the benefits of 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film are:

• Helps keep you warm during cold winter months.
• Good heat rejection provides additional comfort and energy savings in the summer months.
• Film offers high visible light transmission with a neutral appearance to help maintain a home's existing appearance.
• Significantly blocks the amount of harmful UV rays that cause fading, helping to extend the life of furnishings.
• Includes a comprehensive warranty from 3M.

If you are interested in controlling the climate and increasing your home comfort and energy efficiency, and would like more information on 3M Thinsulate Home Window Film, Contact ABC Sun Control by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

It’s Not to Late to Improve Your Home with 3M Thinsulate Window Film

It's never too late to improve your home with 3M Thinsulate Window Film. Whether it is cold outside and you are trying to keep the heat in, or it is warm outside and you are trying to keep the heat out, 3M Thinsulate Window Film is the answer. This revolutionary film acts as insulation for your windows and improves their performance in both Winter and Summer. Here is a list of the benefits this 3M Window Film can do.

• Helps keep you warm during cold winter months.
• Good heat rejection provides additional comfort and energy savings in the summer months.
• Film offers high visible light transmission with a neutral appearance to help maintain a home's existing appearance.
• Significantly blocks the amount of harmful UV rays that cause fading, helping to extend the life of furnishings.
• Includes a comprehensive warranty from 3M.

This virtually invisible insulation enhances comfort and efficiency year round. This unique window film helps retain warmth in the winter and cool air in the summer by increasing your windows’ insulation value. A single-pane performs close to a double-pane, a double-pane performs close to a triple-pane. If you would like more information on 3M Thinsulate Home Window Film, Contact ABC Sun Control 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.

Insulate Your Windows with 3M Thinsulate Home Window Film

Home in Gig Harbor, Washington Controls the Climate with 3M Thinsulate Home Window Films

We recently had the pleasure to help the homeowner of the beautiful house in pictures above insulate their windows with 3M Thinsulate home window film. Many homes, like this one in Gig Harbor, Washington, have a great deal of glass. These exposes of glass are great for views, but not so good for home comfort. Often a home will have hot or cold spots depending on where windows and vents are located. You have insulation for the walls and the roof, why not your windows? Well, finally there is an answer, 3M Thinsulate Home Window Film. Best of all, it can be barely noticeable on your glass.

3M Thinsulate Home Window Films Improve Your House in These Three Ways

• Control the Climate - 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film helps keep the warmth in during the winter and the cool conditioned air in during the summer -- keeping the weather out where it belongs – all season, every season. This window film helps reduce cold/hot spots in your home, improving overall comfort for you and your family.
• Increase Efficiency - 30% of all energy used to heat and cool homes in the U.S. escapes through the windows. 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film is a low emissivity or “low-e” window film which improves the insulation value of a typical single pane window close to that of a double pane window and the insulation value of a typical double pane window close to a triple pane window. This film will make your windows more efficient and save you money on energy costs at a fraction of the cost of replacing your windows.
• Maintain Appearance - 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window film is a virtually invisible film that provides comfort and fade protection without dramatically changing the look of your windows. This film blocks up to 99% of the sun’s UV rays, thereby helping to reduce fading of furniture, upholstery, hardwood floors, and window treatments.

We hope this post shed some light on all the ways 3M Thinsulate Home Window Films can be used to improve and enhance your home. If you would like any additional information about 3M Thinsulate Home Window Film, Contact ABC Sun Control by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

Historical Building in Seattle Becomes More Energy Efficient

Recently, ABC Sun Control was called into the historical James Tower building in Seattle. This building had a need where they wanted to reduce heat load coming through the glass and make the space more energy efficient. However, for historic reasons, they did not want to change the appearance of the glass. We suggested using a 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film called CC75 that would provide the performance they were looking for without changing the appearance of the glass. As an additional benefit, this film will help retain heat in the Winter months which will also add to the energy efficiency. This film adds performance that makes a single-pane window perform like it is a double-pane and makes a double-pane widows perform like a triple-pane! The Building Engineer, Ben Walker, summed up the added benefits by saying "I wanted to follow up with you regarding the window film installed in suite 630. I am very impressed with how well that has worked and how much it was able to reduce the heat load in that room. Occupants are happy and haven’t had any temperature issues since it was installed. I am amazed at the difference."

Check out the pictures from the outside and inside during installation to see how clear and unnoticeable this revolutionary film is.

Also, check out this infographic below to see just how well this film performs. We would be happy to discuss how 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film can be implemented into your facility and begin helping you become more energy efficient. If you would like any additional information about 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film and the many ways they can be used, Contact ABC Sun Control by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

Don't Replace Windows, Upgrade them with 3M Thinsulate Window Film

Are you considering the costly proposition of replacing your old windows with something more energy efficient? If so, you should give 3M™ Thinsulate Window Film a look. This virtually invisible film is like insulation for your windows. You will enhance comfort and efficiency year round with this unique low-e window film that helps retain warmth in the winter and cool air in the summer by increasing your windows’ insulation value. A single-pane performs close to a double-pane, a double-pane performs close to a triple-pane.

Because the film is virtually invisible, the look of your window barely changes, inside or out, yet it still helps protect furniture, floors, upholstery and artwork from UV rays that cause fading. Easier and more affordable than replacing your windows, 3M Thinsulate Window Film is an efficient, cost-effective way to meet your window insulation needs.

3M Thinsulate Window Film Details

1. Helps keep you warm during cold winter months.
2. Good heat rejection provides additional comfort and energy savings in the summer months.
3. Film offers high visible light transmission with a neutral appearance to help maintain a home's existing appearance.
4. Significantly blocks the amount of harmful UV rays that cause fading, helping to extend the life of furnishings.
5. Includes a comprehensive warranty from 3M.

We would be happy to discuss how 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film can be implemented into your home and begin helping you save on home energy costs. If you would like any additional information about 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film and the many ways they can be used, Contact ABC Sun Control by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.

Exotic Metals in Seattle Meets Standards with 3M Thinsulate Window Film

Exotic Metals in Seattle, Washington was looking to meet the new Washington State energy standards on a commercial remodel that they were doing. The engineer working on the project recommended a 3M Thinsulate Window Film instead of a window replacement to meet the standard. By applying the film to double pane insulated windows the U-value was increased enough to meet the new standards and utilize the existing windows as opposed to costly window replacement. In addition, these standards could be kept using a film that did not noticeably change the appearance of the windows. See the video below taken during installation.

Exotic Metals in Seattle Video

We would be happy to discuss how 3M Thinsulate Climate Control Window Film can be implemented into your home or commercial property and begin helping you save on energy costs. If you would like any additional information about 3M Thinsulate Window Film and the many ways they can be used, Contact ABC Sun Control by calling 800-488-5099 or emailing us at sales@controlthesun.com.