Should You Replace Your Windows Or Just Get Window Tints Instead?

Taking into account that radiant heat loss and solar heat gain accounts for one-third of a home's energy costs, each window in the house is considered as an opportunity to save money or lose it. Energy-efficient replacement windows, on the other hand, can help you save on utilities and provide a more comfortable interior. However, keep in mind that they are not suitable for every building. Now, window tints are equally competent and efficient, and their costs are substantially lesser. Hence, it pays for itself by lowering cooling and heating bills. Here’s what you need to know when deciding whether to get window replacements or tints.

Your windows are part of a historic home

If your residence is situated in a historic building, you may face difficulty when replacing them as it may be against your local preservation guidelines. In this case, window tints are great alternatives and they can protect the windows without marring the looks of a historic building. With that said, you should only replace the current windows if they are in poor condition and cannot function properly.

You have many windows at home

Even if your home is installed with many windows, window replacements are not always the best option around unless you are certain that there are serious problems like the windows posing as a potential hazard. If you have to install window tints on more than 700 panes of glass, you will still be able do it at a fraction of the cost of replacing them entirely. Furthermore, the tints can help your reject 99.9% of UV rays and more than 50% of solar heat gain which makes your home’s surroundings much more comfortable.

Considering the Return on Investment for replacements and tints

The costs of replacing a window typically range from a few hundred dollars to a thousand dollars, or even more. Another thing is that these windows are usually guaranteed for fifteen to twenty years. If you got double-pane glass as replacements, there is a risk of a leak in the future when the seal is broken. The leak will allow condensation to take place between the panes, where it is suppose to be an insulating barrier. If the leak occurs under warranty, the window can be replaced without cost. If not, you will have to pay it from your own pocket.

As mentioned, window tints cost a fraction of window replacements. Today's tints are considered to be high-tech and can offer better UV resistance and clarity. As window tints also provide matched energy savings of window replacements, it will take less time to get back what you've invested and you will pay less up front for the same performance. The average ROI is approximately two to three years, and this is substantially faster than replacing your windows. Simply put, window tints have a better overall value when the windows in your home are in an acceptable condition.

If you are planning to make normal glass safer at home, you should opt for home window tinting. This will prevent your kids from getting hurt when they fail to see a pane of glass in front of them.

Call Happy Tint 1800 427 798 for a FAST quote.

The Perils Of Over-Lighting Your House And How House Window Tinting Can Help

Over-lighting is a real problem, with significant impacts on your health, concentration and productivity as well as comfort. Within an indoor environment, there is a standard level of lighting that is relevant and comfortable for the specific activities undertaken in that specific area. This means that the requirements of a kitchen in terms of lighting may not be similar to the requirements of a library. You need to understand the lighting needs of the rooms in your house in order to establish how much light you will allow them to get. 

Too much light in the bedroom will leave you exhausted from limited sleep

The bedroom does not have to be dark, but if it is over-lit you will be unable to sleep during the day. The morning light will especially have you waking up as early as 6 AM even when you do not need to. This means that you will be exhausted and in most cases unable to maintain your concentration for longer periods of time. In order to avoid the symptoms of regular sleep deprivation, you may want to apply a window tinting film on your bedroom windows. This is to limit the amount of visible light that gets into your bedroom. The idea here is to protect you from the bright morning light that cuts your sleep short every morning. 

A bright living room is fine, but no bright lights in the den please

Your den or TV room needs to have a warm and cozy feel to it. This is why you will have to ensure that it is comfortable and private as well. To do this, a window tinting film with a low VLT will be the best option as it will keep out most of the light, allowing you to enjoy watching the TV even during the day. Keeping the bright lights out of the den is a sure way of making your TV room a great place for the family to hang out regardless of the time. 

Window tinting works for the study too

Most people would assume that window tinting is meant to reduce the amount of lighting. This is usually true, but in some cases it is simply useful in the reduction of the light’s intensity. The study, for example, needs ample lighting, but the sun can be brutal, especially if you are reading or using a computer. It is thus better to install a high VLT film that will keep out the glare and UV rays while allowing in as much natural light as possible. This will allow you to read or work comfortably in your study. 

Too much lighting will affect how comfortable you are, how much you can work and possibly how well you sleep. To avoid the problems linked with over-lighting, contact us and we will be able to help you out with your house window tinting options and solutions. The key is in understanding what you really need in your house!

Call Happy Tint 1800 427 798 for a FAST quote.

How To Ensure Home Energy Efficiency With Window Tinting Alone

Energy costs are always really high, be it summer when you need full time air conditioning or in the winter when it is equally extreme in terms of the cold and you need a heating system. The fact here is that you will always be running high power bills unless you come up with a solution to cut you’re your home’s energy consumption significantly. There may be a list of options on how doing this, but so far, the most convenient and affordable one would be home window tinting. 

You spend more than half your power bills on heating and cooling your home

This means that if you are able to reduce the need for either one of these, you will have cut down on your utility bills. You may not be able to eliminate the need for a heating system, especially in winter. But you can certainly regulate the amount of energy required to cool your home during summer. When it is too hot, the AC will have to work harder to bring down the temperatures. 

One way of reducing how hard the AC will work is by limiting the entry of UV rays into your house. These rays contribute significantly to the extremely high temperatures. By applying a tint film on your windows, regardless of the percentage of visible light transmission (VLT), you will be keeping all the UV rays at bay. This means you will have significantly reduced the temperature in your house, thus allowing the AC to work less. 

Use natural lighting as much as possible

Energy efficiency also implies cutting down on your use of artificial lighting. On one hand, the films are aimed at reducing the amount of light rays getting into your home. This means that you are likely to receive less natural light. On the other hand, however, you can choose a film with higher VLT to ensure that you are only keeping the UV rays out and are thus able to take advantage of natural lighting. 

With the film, you will not have to cover your windows to reduce the light or opt for softer artificial lighting. You can always choose a film that will give you adequate lighting, thus enabling you to depend on the free natural light rather than using expensive artificial lighting at all times.

The UV filter works both ways 

When it is hot, the heated UV rays from the sun will not enter your home provided you have installed some good quality window tint film. During winter, the heated rays will also not be able to leave your home. This means that rather than spending a lot of energy heating up the air and losing it to the atmosphere, your home will be retaining most of the heated rays within it. This will cut down your heating costs significantly as well. 

The basics of heating and cooling and using natural lighting seem like an easy hack considering how much you will be saving in the long term. You could contact us with any questions or comments as well as ideas on how home window tinting can change your home livability experience.

Call Happy Tint 1800 427 798 for a FAST quote.

What Are The Types Of Window Tint Available In the Market Today?

Safety, enhanced privacy and energy efficiency are the main aspects that determine whether you should tint the windows of your home. In case of glass shattering, the tinting film holds together the shattered pieces, preventing them from hitting the home’s occupants. Furthermore, tinting decreases glare from light sources such as the sun, street lights, and the like.

Professional installation is recommended as the results are better than when self-done. Compared to the amount of time an inexperienced installer would take, a professional is a better choice as he takes r only a few hours to have the whole home’s windows professionally tinted. 

Types of window tints available in the market

Before we get started, home tint films are very thin polymer products that come in different tint levels of shades, ranging from very dark to clear. Metals or dyes are then added depending on the wanted level of tint. The choice of appropriate kind of tint for your home’s windows depends on your personal needs and budget. Here are the common types of tinting products available in the market today:

Metalized film

This kind of a tinting film has a wide range of different metals affixed on it during the manufacturing process. It greatly reduces heat from the sun by reflecting UV rays. Although metalized window tinting may interfere with electronic gadgets such as GPS, radio and cell phone, it offers one of the best ways to tint windows in a home. 

Dyed film

This kind of a tinting product for the windows is made by adding specific dyes to a polymer film. This kind of a tint has the darkest appearance and greatly absorbs heat. It is however used for appearance more than heat reduction. It is however great for reducing glare from the sun and other kinds of light during the night. Furthermore, this product is great for prevention of fading on the interiors of a home. Carbon tint is among the favorite option in this category. 

Ceramic tint

This tinting technology is the newest in the market today, and utilizes nano-ceramics to absorb as much heat as double what hybrid or dyed can while upholding lighter shades. This type of a tint offers the best clarity with the highest durability. 

Hybrid tint

This kind of a tint combines metalized and dyed types of tints. The premium kind of a tint reflects and absorbs heat and light making it a popular tinting product. You can opt to install this kind of a window tinting yourself by following the installation guide it comes with, but to make sure you get quality results, ensure to have a professional do the job. 

Crystalline tint

This kind of a tint offers infrared and heat barrier, without necessarily darkening the home’s windows. It consists of more than two hundred layers of films with varying shade levels. The film however provides lighter shade than what is offered by the standard tinting products. It blocks more than 95% of sun rays and 60% heat that come through the windows. This window tinting product however is more expensive than the rest with the average price ranging from between $500 to $800.

All in all, before selecting an installer for home window tinting in Melbourne, it is recommended that you contact several of them for estimates, and understand the products on offer so that you can get the most out of your house tinting investment.

Call Happy Tint 1800 427 798 for a FAST quote.

How Is Residential Window Tinting Done?

Tinting your home’s windows is a great way to reduce heat and glare, as well as enhance your privacy. Homeowners basically have two options for tinting the windows in their homes; do it themselves with DIY window-tinting kits or hire a professional to expertly tint their windows. Although DIY window tinting option typically cost less, it certainly pays greater dividends to invest in a professional installation. Here are the three main benefits of residential window tinting.

•    By having the windows tinted professionally, it would not only keep the UV light out, but in the winter months, the window tint prevents the heat from escaping from the home.

•    In the hotter summer months, window tints prevent ultraviolet rays from penetrating into the home causing the furniture, walls and floors to heat up the interior temperature decreasing energy efficiency. 

•    Window tinting makes it harder to see the occupants and belongings inside your home, greatly reducing the chances of being targeted for a crime. This also offers more privacy even when the windows do not have any blinds or curtains on them. 

Residential window tinting is done in three major ways. These include:

Film tinting

This tinting method is by far the most popular in the market today. A very thin polymer film is applied carefully to specially prepared window glass. Tinting window films vary in tint level from clear to around 70% visible light transmission. These light reducing products are relatively inexpensive ranging from $5-$15 per square foot and are designed to reduce up to 99% UV (ultraviolet) rays from penetrating the windows.

Tilting film for home windows is available in a number of different shades and outward appearance, for instance mirrored, metallic, reflective, or even flat. The main benefits of this type of window tinting are that it is quite cheap, and help to prevent glass from shattering in crashes. Visible light transmission refers to how dark the tint appears on the windows. The main disadvantages are that it only lasts five years before peeling, cracking and bubbling of the plastic film, and most of the times degradation or yellowing of the tinting itself. Furthermore, removing the old window film is harder than the installation itself. 

If you opt for a professional installation by the store you acquired the film from, ensure that the installers are approved through an industry group such as the IWFA (the International Window Film Association). Apart from this, make sure they use the same brand of film, and that they fully support the manufacturer’s warranty. 

OEM tinted glass

This kind of glass is tinted within the glass as part of the actual glassmaking process, and lasts the life of the glass. OEM tinted glass normally has only a mild tint. It is more expensive to replace in case of shattering as the glass comes tinted right from the manufacturers. 

Coating tinting

A special tinted solution is applied to an existing glass, normally in form of a spray. This kind of a tint lasts longer than film tinting.

Whichever home window tinting option you go for, make sure that the installation is done by professionals as these have both the knowledge and tools to do a perfect job.

Call Happy Tint 1800 427 798 for a FAST quote.