Interior vs. exterior solar shades
margaret17
last year
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margaret17
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CLEAR window film vs. solar shades?
Comments (8)A lot of people in our town use a local window tinting business to tint their windows. I have never noticed a difference in the look of the windows inside the home, just less glare and a clearer view to the outside. There are several levels of film, just like sunglasses---some are almost like mirrors, some are barely tinted. From the outside, the more highly tinted windows have a reflective look to them, and some people use that on garage windows so people can't see in (at night with indoor lights on, they would be able to see). We recently had a devastating tornado in the area, and many people with the tinted windows still had to replace the windows, but the glass didn't break into tiny pieces and end up in their furniture. If you don't have a local supplier, Vista brand has a very good reputation. If you visit their website you may find a supplier in your area....See MoreAwnings vs. Solar Shades vs. Exterior Shades?
Comments (7)slowjane, we have a retractable awning for an east facing room on our house in Northern California and we love it. We were using the room as a nursery and in the summer it would be uncomfortably hot by late morning just when the baby wanted a nap -- the awning solved that. As a bonus, our patio is now useable in the summer. Ours was probably around $1000? ordered through Costco, but it is motorized and I'm guessing it's 12-15 ft wide (it spans a set of French doors and two additional windows). I'd guess you might get a manual retractable awning for a single window for a lot less? Good luck....See MoreLow-e vs solar gain vs window treatments
Comments (22)Hi ZIns, Oberon offered professional technical details so I will chime in with homeowner experience. Yes, even with Low-E, there will be fading. Depending on the amount and intensity of exposure and the finish, it is a matter of how much and how soon. In a situation where the sun is very mild and light, by the time fading is noticeable, it may also be time to refinish the floor. My guess is the floor is not receiving year-round exposure, true? The sun is stronger and deeper during some time of the year and weaker and less intense at other times, is that so? We have seasonal sun intensity problem too and solve it with a combination of solution. We use rugs to protect several sections of our floor during mid-Spring through late Summer. The rugs are removed to prevent tripping when we have visitors. The rugs are also removed around Autumn when the sun is low and the exposure is much less intense and shortening each day. We have old furniture in one area by our French doors and my wife made knitted coverings to cover the furniture. As necessary, we remove the covering when appropriate. Outside the French doors, we installed retractable awning so that during extremely hot summer days, the awning extends to provide cover without blocking natural light. Our goal is to not use any window treatment because we enjoy natural light and the views. Hope this helps a bit....See MoreSolar shades -- 10% vs 14%
Comments (4)Instead of solar shades, we use Phifer super solar screens on the exterior of windows. The view of outdoors is above average and it allows us to decorate without using solar shades. It's always best to keep the heat outside instead of trying to manage it inside. Once it's inside, your air conditioner has to deal with it....See Morermsaustin
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