Using Window Film to Lower Energy Bills – IllinoisHomePage.net

Indianapolis, IN - No matter where you live or the season, theres no bigger energy user in your home than your heating and cooling system.

Todays angies list report focuses on an efficiency investment you can barely see. The best part, it save you some green every time you pay a power bill.

Angie Hicks, Angies List founder, says Installing high-efficiency windows can be a great investment but its also expensive and costs thousands of dollars. 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.

Kevin Koval, owner of SOLARIS window film company, says 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.

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.

Jay Dunbar, homeowner, says 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.

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.

Angie Hicks says, 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.

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 to $500. An average double-pane window costs between $100-$150. Window experts say you can expect energy savings of five to 10 percent.

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Using Window Film to Lower Energy Bills - IllinoisHomePage.net