Window film - worth it?
We just bought an Eichler last week.
All original windows. We have rambunctious 2 yr boy that likes to throw things. Trying to decide if it makes sense to have the windows filmed for safety. Thoughts?
Yes! It's much cheaper than replacing your son, or any of the nearly 60 sq ft window panes.
Yes, it is definitely worth it! We have 3 young children and this was one of the first things we did after moving into our home. We are completely satisfied and happy that we decided to do the window film. Plus I feel so much more comfortable around all of the glass.
Good luck on your new home!
we covered some windows with straight safety film and some windows with the expensive heat blocking film. last summer was so @#$%&* hot that it's hard to say if the heat film helped much.
knowing that the windows are protected from flying objects (including dog toys) or cracks makes us feel much more comfortable. it's also a safety issue against burglars as well - no smash & grab or cutting entries from those windows unless they're planning to take out the entire panel.
expensive, but a pretty good insurance policy.
We have a significant amount of single pane, non-tempered glass that needs to be filmed (or replaced with tempered). This is a 5 br Eichler. However, we're really focused on keeping the original look of our Eichler, so I don't want to add any colored tint or one that creates unnatural reflections. I'm looking at this more from a safety standpoint.
Any recs or experience w/ these companies? Recs for clear film?
Send recommendations directly to: oldskoolboarder2001 AT yahoo.com
The company that came by recommended the colored tint on the sunny windows.
I'm leaning towards clear tint for all the windows, to keep it as natural as possible, since most of our windows won't have coverings.
Ideas?
He also indicated that one of the suggested films would reduce heat. Would this be significant, considering we still have a tar and gravel roof and no insulation?
Hi,
I added a slight window tint (maybe 30%?) to the south facing windows (whole back of house) and I like it. All other windows where clear except above the garage which are 50% tint.
My kids have not broke it yet :-) so I can not comment on how well it works nor can I comment on the longevity as I have had it only one year. So far so good.
-- Ralph
Hi,
It sounds like most on the forum have hired professionals to install the window film. Has anyone tried the diy window film at Home Depot or OSH? I believe it's made by GILA and they carry two different "heat control" films in various sizes. Do the professional installers use a superior brand? Thanks.
Edgar
Regarding professional vs Home Depot...
You could get a sample of what the installers are using. I know ours had a sample brochure that showed the different films.
As a side note, So much detail went into putting up the film, I couldn't imagine being able to do it as well as they did. It was an all day job for our guys. The peices of film were so large and perfectly measured. Plus the chance of bubbles and air pockets. Yikes. I do know the film they put on is actually fairly thick. It isn't a flimsy film at all.
we used the DIY stuff on one large window in a previous condo, and it's harder to apply than it looks (or we're not very coordinated).
two of us fumbled for quite a while with the DIY stuff and we were never able to get out all the bubbles, even after popping them with pins and re-squishing to the edges. i'm sure those bubbles are still there for the new owners to enjoy.
if cost is the concern, you can try one roll of the DIY stuff and see how it turns out. that's a cheap test and you can pull it down if you don't like it. i'd suggest practicing on a straight, normal pane rather than one of the sloped ceiling or funky shaped windows.
I used to help friends tint car windows when we were in high school. It's HARD.
The slightest speck of dust will stay there forever. It's a very time-consuming task that I would rather trust a professional doing.
We had tinted window film installed on every window facing wood paneling with obvious fade marks. Until we tell somebody it is tinted, they can't tell that it is. Feel free to back channel me at [email protected] if you'd like to know what we used.
