Which Window Films Work Best To Keep Heat Out?
When it comes to buying window film, one of the most common requests from potential clients here in Kansas City and across the US is– “I want a window film that will keep the heat out”. This makes sense since most of the issues people have relating to their windows tend to be excess heat and glare. Solar heat gain on windows is the reason your home is 20 degrees hotter than it is outside. It is the reason some rooms are too hot to sit in–even with the A/C blasting. It is the reason some parts or your KC home are hot while others are freezing cold. But happily, there are window films specifically made to eliminate these excess heat issues.
Where Excess Heat Comes From
To understand which window films are best at keeping heat out, first, you must understand where the heat is coming from. As it were, the sun’s rays through glass are a huge part of a home being uncomfortably hot. The sun’s rays are made up of three parts: visible which we can see, ultraviolet rays and infrared we feel as heat. Therefore it is the infrared rays that are responsible for heating up your Kansas City home. However, another factor is cooled air being lost through windows from poor insulation. Therefore to solve your home’s problem of being too hot and likely running the A/C all summer long–a window film must block infrared rays and insulate.
Which Films Work To Block Heat Causing Infrared Sunlight
Any good window film will, to some degree, reflect infrared light away from windows. However, if you are looking to really stop heat build-up on the glass of your Kansas City home and therefore lower temperatures, you are likely looking for a Low-E window film. The lower the emissivity or e-value of a window film, the better it is at reflecting heat off glass. A typical e-value on a regular film is around 87%. But on Low-E window films the e-value can be anywhere from 7%-65% (7% keeping the most heat out). But, as we mentioned before, insulation is also a consideration. Therefore, window films that are both Low-E and have great insulation properties are the best way to keep your Kansas City home cooler. Not only will these films keep the heat out but also keep the air you pay to cool–in. This saves you money and makes your home incredibly more comfortable. Some Low-E films we recommend to our Kansas City customers looking to reduce heat in their homes are Enerlogic, Solar Gard Silver AG and 3M Thinsulate.
To find out more about which window films keep the heat out and are most cost-effective for your home here in KC–contact us at Scottish Window Tinting today!
