Old Windows? Upgrade Their Energy Efficiency With Window Film

If your home has old windows, it should come as no surprise that they are not as energy efficient as they could be. The solution to fixing your problem might not be as obvious. You will find plenty of energy-efficient windows on the market today, but replacing your windows can be a costly venture. In many cases, a cost-effective choice for improving your windows' energy efficiency is to install window film. 

The Insulation Battle

The key to a double-pane window is the layer of gas that is sandwiched between the window panes. This gas helps to isolate the air inside your home from the outside world, but how effective is a double-pane window as compared to a single pane? A single-pane window will have an R-value of about 1 and a double-pane will have double the R-value. That's impressive, right? Sort of. Consider that your insulated walls will have an R-value of around 19, and you will see that your windows are still a weak spot in your home's insulation envelope. So what do you do? Add another pane of glass?

A triple-pane window will have an R-value of about 3. Add to this that triple-pane windows will cost up to 15% more than double pane windows but only cut your utility bill by about 2%, and you will see that you are not getting much bang for the buck.

Window Films

A window film does not insulate your home in the way a multi-pane window does. It does not trap heat before it can enter or leave your home as the space between panes of glass will. Instead, window films feature a metallic surface which will filter out the sun's UV rays. This will help to keep your home cool during the summer, but the same window film can help to keep your home warm during the winter by reflecting heat before it escapes. Thus, window film can help you to reduce your cooling costs by up to 23% and your heating costs by 25%. When you consider that it will cost between $4-$15 to install, it is easy to see that installing window film is the best option for improving your windows' energy efficiency

If you feel like you are paying too much to condition the air in your home, you might consider replacing your older windows with a more efficient window, which will cost you thousands of dollars. On the other hand, you can add window film to your windows for a fraction of the cost. Thus, for the money saving effect you get, window films are the best value for your money.  For more information, contact a professional like Alberta Tinting & Graphic Services.

Share