Angie’s List: An Invisible but Mighty Energy Saver – 41 NBC News

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) No matter where you live or the season, theres no bigger energy user in your home than your heating and cooling system, so making the most of efficiency tools is a great way to save money. Some of those measure can cost more than you may be able to afford. Solar window film is a product catching on as a more affordable option.

Installing high-efficiency windows can be a great investment but its also expensive and costs thousands of dollars, says Angies List founder Angie Hicks. If youre looking for a more affordable option, window film is a great alternative.

Solar window film is a thin material applied to window glass. Without it, most of the solar energy that hits the glass comes right on through into your home. With the film, most of that energy stays out. How much depends on the type of film you use.

Window film will be a much better option in terms of improving the performance and matching the performance of a new replacement window, typically a fifth the cost of going through the replacement of those windows, said Kevin Koval, owner of SOLARIS window film company.

Homeowner Jay Dunbar said he earned his investment in window film back in energy savings within three years and resolved an issue of uneven temperature in his house right away.

First thing that we noticed, because we had it applied I think it was in late fall, we noticed that when it got cold, all of a sudden our bedroom wasnt 10 degrees colder than the rest of the house, which was very nice, Dunbar said.

You can install window film yourself, but doing that could void your window warranty. Reputable pros will replace your warranty with their own. Theyll also install the film without bubbles, which will prevent cracks or peeling later on. Some will even let you transfer the warranty if you sell your house.

Only a few states actually require trade licenses for window film installers, so you want to do some additional homework to see their affiliations with different trade associations and also what kind of guarantee they have behind their work, Hicks said.

Window film offers more than energy efficiency. It shields you from the glare of sunlight, filters out potentially dangerous ultra violet light and even helps protect your furniture from fading from prolonged exposure to the sun.

Installing film on a typical sliding glass door will cost between $300-500 and an average double-pane window costs between $100-150. Window experts say you can expect energy savings of five to 10 percent.

States that require window film licenses: Arizona, California, Mississippi, North Carolina and Oregon. To determine the trade license status of a building pro, use the Angies List License Check free-of-charge.

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Angie's List: An Invisible but Mighty Energy Saver - 41 NBC News