Cut Summer Energy Costs Up to 15 Percent with Sun Control Window Film

(ARA) - During the summer, heat invades homes. In 2001, energy costs have unmercifully doubled in many communities from a year ago. Many homeowners do not understand that up to 15 percent of their average summer utility bill is due to heat pouring through windows. This heat gain puts such a load on air conditioners that they keep running. Electric meters keep spinning. As energy rates soar, everyone needs an affordable way to beat the heat.

The Biggest Problem in the Home is the Window

The best place to start cutting home energy costs is at the window. According to a Phoenix Tribune article, "Consumers Can Cut Utility Bills," Jack Haenichen, senior technical adviser for the Arizona commerce department's energy office, asserts that "40 percent of a house's heat is a result of its window space and approximately 50 percent of a utility bill can be attributed to them." For people out West, sun coming in means a lot of cash going out.

The Best Solution is Sun Control Window Film

James Dulley, author of The Sensible Home, says "Window film is your best solution to block heat and fading, especially if you are on a limited budget. The new summer/winter films save energy year-round." In his "Utility Bill Updates," Dulley recommends metallized polyester films that reflect summer heat outside and help retain radiant heating in winter, much the same way high-tech insulated windows do, at a fraction of the cost.

Potential Savings are Significant

The most energy efficient insulating films reflect up to 70 percent of the sun's energy outside. They significantly reduce heat gain, improve comfort and reduce air conditioning bills. On an average 2000 sq. ft. home, a heat control window film applied to all the windows can reduce summer utility bills up to 15 percent in most parts of the country. In Western states like California, Arizona, and Nevada, savings can be more. Actual benefits depend upon window age, type, exposure and climate. The difference is immediate, the payback can be less than a year, and these films work up to ten years. After that, replacement is quick and cheap and the savings begin again.

Sun control window films offer homeowners five levels of savings. They reduce utility bills and improve comfort. They are readily available at home centers like Home Depot and Lowe's. They cost less than a dollar per square foot. They are designed for relatively easy do-it-yourself application. They improve existing windows. And the job is a perfect weekend project for two. Just in case, major brands have hotlines, Web sites, and satisfaction policies if someone forgets to read (or follow) the instructions.

According to John Pinkerton of GILA Window Films, "After five years of technical development and consumer research, the newest heat control films significantly improve summer comfort, reduce utility bills, and apply easily and safely to most residential windows."

Only sun control window films apply directly onto the glass to reflect heat and reduce harsh glare and damaging UV A+B rays without blocking the view outside. Maximum efficiency results from selecting the right film and treating all the windows in the home. The best place to start is wherever the room is hottest, usually south, west or east. The best time to apply window films is late evening or early morning, when the glass is cool.

Traditional Window Treatments Only Offer Shade When Fully Closed

Traditional efforts to stop summer heat invasion include two major options: hanging something in front of or behind the window or replacing the window completely with a new, much more expensive window. Among the many popular "hanging" options are shutters, shades, screens, awnings, and even trees. These offer shade when fully closed, which turns a room into a cave. But they cannot stop the heat boiling through windows because none of these products apply directly on the glass. The glass is the point of entry for heat that pours from the hot side to the cool side, whether summer or winter. Unlike more efficient insulating materials (like metal, brick or wood), glass alone cannot stop heat transfer. Even hiding behind curtains, once inside the heat is inside your home. Only sun control film applies directly onto the glass to reflect that blazing heat outside.

New Windows are Good but Costly Upgrades

Full window replacement from single-pane to insulated windows is a fine choice for people who can afford to spend the money - often thousands of dollars per home - for new windows while energy bills skyrocket. Unfortunately, many homeowners cannot afford this choice when faced with energy rates climbing more than 50 percent in parts of the West, Midwest, and Northeast. For them, a major advantage of sun control window films is that they "add on" to existing windows only what is needed to improve comfort immediately. No waiting period. No bank loan needed. No contractors required.

The Numbers Show the Difference: Glass 8 Percent, Glass with Film 70 Percent

According to Merle Henkenius of Popular Mechanics, single-pane window glass "reflects less than 8 percent of the light and heat that strikes it and absorbs only l5 percent, while allowing roughly 87 percent to pass through. The year-round numbers for double-glazed windows are only slightly better." Although the range of high-tech low-e windows is often available to new homebuilders, heat control films that reflect almost ten times more heat than regular glass represent a very attractive option to a cost-conscious homeowner.

Naturally, the perfect solution to summer heat gain is to apply a heat control film, install outside sun screens, hang black out thermal curtains, turn out all the lights, and plant a leafy tree. However, if the budget is tight and patience is wearing thin, applying heat control window films makes good sense.

Sun Control Films Help Utility Companies, Too

During the 1980's, utility companies in Florida, Texas, Arizona, and other states offered rebate programs for certain sun control films that reflected at least 55 percent of the heat and were professionally installed. With deregulation, many of these programs have disappeared, but the energy-saving value of heat control films on hot "peak load" afternoons can be significant for utility companies in the SunBelt.

Different Films Meet Different Needs

Leading do-it-yourself brands feature heat control, glare control and privacy films for homes. Heat control ratings usually appear as numbers or icons on the packaging. Some films are virtually invisible. Some are darker to block glare. Others are mirrored or frosted for greater privacy and personal protection. Most films are sold in pre-cut rolls near other window treatments or insulation products. For the person who needs to remove old film, biodegradable film removers are almost as easy to use as the simple soapy-water solution used to apply new window films. Each manufacturer's application instructions may vary from product to product, but patience and teamwork can make short work of a perfect weekend project that will pay for itself this summer and for years to come.

Because they are applied inside the home, sun control window films are usually sold near other window treatment or window insulating products. Additional information about this type of sun control film, available at Home Depot and Lowe's, is available from the GILA products division of CPFilms Inc of Martinsville, Virginia. Web site: www.gilafilms.com, e-mail: gilahelp@cpfilms.com, hotline: 1-800-528-4481.