Spectacular Window Film that Will Save You Money

October 31, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Spectacular Window Film that Will Save You Money

You’re probably wondering how window film can help you save money. Aren’t you? You will see some cost savings immediately. However, the more important, critical benefits will help you in the long term. Seriously–how do you put a price tag on your health?

Lower Power Bills

With window film, you can save money during both the hot months, with less air conditioning costs, and during the cold months, where your heating bill will go down. Using 3M’s Thinsulate evens out the temperatures year round, saving you money no matter what time of year it is. We’ve written about Thinsulate before, and you might like to read our most recent post: How Does Window Film Help You in the Winter?

Spend Less on Your Health in the Long Run

The science is clear: UV rays cause skin cancer. Most people feel safe indoors, without realizing that UV rays can pass straight through glass, damaging your skin, your eyes, and more. Your family deserves to feel and be safe in your home. So why not invest in your long-term health the way you invest in health insurance? To read more about UV rays and cancer, read more about window film and skin cancer at The Skin Cancer Foundation.

Saves Your Floor, Rugs, and Furniture

Do you love your floor, rugs, and furniture? How about your other belongings? UV light not only damages your family’s skin, but it damages much of your furnishings. Window film can prevent damage to your valuable decor. You’ve probably seen damaged rugs and flooring, but with window film, you can hold onto your cherished possessions longer. Losing the lovely pieces you’ve spent days curating saves you not only money but headaches. Save Money and Beautify Your Home at the same time.

Preserves Your Photographs

Certain of your valuables may be irreplaceable, such as your family photographs. That’s why museums use window film to protect heirloom photographs. You may not be able to put a price tag on your own family heirlooms. Why not protect them with window film so that your family can enjoy them for years to come? Check out Houzz’s excellent article “A Surefire Way to Prevent Sun Damage Indoors.”

Have Questions?

We have answers! Give us a call! We’d be glad to help. Call us at 415.623.8700 to discuss window film!

How Does Window Film Help You in the Winter?

October 16, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

San Francisco photo — How Does Window Film Help You in the Winter?

How Does Window Film Help You in the Winter?

Maybe you’re one of those people who only think about window film in the summer. After all, window film helps with glare and keeping out UV rays. In our experience, people don’t think about window film in the winter nearly as much. Here are some ways that window film can help you in the winter.

Winterizing with Window Film

Of course, 3M has a window film that can help you with climate control, which includes staying warm in the winter and cool in the summer. You don’t want heat escaping in the colder months, just as you don’t want cooler air to escape during the warmer months. By adding 3M’s window film, you can have the best of both worlds. If you already have a double-paned window, it’s like having a triple-paned window. You might want to read about Thinsulate in our previous article: How to Punch the Solar Vortex in the Nose with Window Film.

Keeping Temperature Stable

If temperatures were more stable year-round, planning would be so much easier, wouldn’t it? But temperatures are all over the map, with hotter days in the summer and colder days in the winter. In the San Francisco Bay Area, we always have to dress in layers so we’re prepared for anything. Having the right window film provides that extra layer so we’re prepared for unstable temperatures. Check out 3M’s website for all the details.

3M™ Thinsulate™ Climate Control Window Film Keeps You Warm in the Winter…

“30% of all energy used to heat and cool homes in the U.S. escapes through the windows. 3M™ Thinsulate™ Climate Control Window Film is a low emissivity or “low-e” window film which improves the insulation value of a typical single pane window close to that of a double pane window and the insulation value of a typical double pane window close to a triple pane window.” From 3M™’s website. Keeping your home warm helps you save money on heat. Heating prices seem to be increasing each year. You can check out energy costs, via PG&E, and compare the rates.

And Cool in the Summer

Once summer comes around, you’ll be more concerned about staying cool. And guess what? 3M™ Thinsulate™ Climate Control Window Film does that, too! So you’ll save money in the winter as well as the summer. And we think that’s pretty cool! More about staying cool in the summer here: How to Stay Warm in the Winter and Cool in the Summer.

Have Questions?

Still not sure about Thinsulate or any window film? We can help advise you! Give us a call at 415.623.8700 to discuss window film!

What Happens When a New Homeowner Installs Window Film?

September 30, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

What Happens When a New Homeowner Installs Window Film?

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you have window film installed at your new home? Window film is one of the quickest and easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint, enjoy less glare, and keep the UV rays outside. There are a few things you might notice, and some things you won’t notice, too.

Enjoy the Quiet

According to Wikipedia, “Sensory overload occurs when one or more of the body’s senses experiences over-stimulation from the environment.” And here in the San Francisco Bay Area, there is so much noise that you can easily become over-stimulated. If you’re someone who gets sensory overload, then window film will definitely help your nerves feel less jangly.

No More Glare

Glare can occur inside the home when the sun is setting as well as when the sun enters your windows and gets in your eyes. We’ve often written about people who need to wear sunglasses indoors. If you haven’t read this article about glare, you might like it: How to Eliminate Glare That Will Help You Have a Better Life. Are you someone who suffers from headaches or ocular migraines because of glare? Then you’ll probably notice fewer headaches.

The UV Rays Stay Outside

Most people feel safe in their own homes. But UV rays are tricky; they can penetrate glass and find you where you live. To really outsmart those nasty ultraviolet rays, you need to have a secret weapon. That secret weapon is window film! You may not notice immediately, but over months and years, your skin will look better. According to the American Cancer Society, most skin cancers are a direct result of exposure to the UV rays in sunlight. Here’s their article: Does UV radiation cause cancer?

Temperatures Remain More Stable

If you’re a new homeowner, you might not notice that your temperatures remain more stable inside your home. The extremes simply go away. Thinsulate™ Insulation window film can make temperatures more stable year round–not just in the summer as some people tend to believe. For more about Thinsulate™ window film, see our previous article: How to Punch the Polar Vortex in the Nose with Window Film.

Want to Experience Window Film?

You may not know exactly what kind of window film will be right for your needs. If that sounds like you, give us a call at 415.623.8700 to discuss window film. We’d love to help you achieve your health goals!

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Five Amazing Ways Window Film Can Make You Healthier

September 15, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Five Amazing Ways Window Film Can Make You Healthier

Yes, window film can lower your heating and cooling bills, but did you realize all the many ways that window film can make you healthier? Here are just five!

Better Skin

Everyone realizes that tanning is not healthy, but did you realize that having window film on your windows is like putting on sunscreen when you’re at the beach? Ultraviolet rays travel through ordinary glass and can damage your skin, causing premature aging. UV light damages the DNA of cells, as explained in this Scientific American article: How does ultraviolet light kill cells?

Protects Against Cancer

The link between UV rays and skin cancer is widely known. That’s why the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends using window film. People feel that they’re safe when they’re inside, but UV rays can still come right through your windows and get you!

Easier to See without Glare

Have you ever been to someone’s house or business where people have to wear sunglasses indoors? We have! It’s a lot more common than you might think. You might like our article: How to Eliminate Glare That Will Help You Have a Better Life. Window film is a good solution to ward off headaches and ocular migraines.

Reduces Heat

Global warming means more unstable weather at all times of the year. While we’d love to say window film cures global warming, we can’t. But window film can protect you against uneven heat by providing a sort of insulation. For instance, a single-pane window with window film becomes like a double-pane window. And a double-pane window becomes a triple-pane window! And if you’re interested in How to Stay Warm in the Winter and Cool in the Summer, window film can help.

Protects Against Breakage

One benefit many people don’t realize is that during storms, window film can hold glass together. If a window does break, window film holds the pieces together so shards of glass don’t hit your family or guests. For someone like a restaurant owner, protecting your guests could be priceless.

Want to Learn More?

Give us a call at 415.623.8700 when you’re ready to discuss window film. We’d love to help you achieve your health goals!

How to Have a Zen Experience with Window Film

August 31, 2018 by Carol S 4 Comments

Something we haven’t heard anyone talk about is how window film makes everything more…zen. Maybe it’s the lack of sensory stimulation once glare is removed. Window film makes everything quieter, which if you’re sensitive to overstimulation is a very good thing. By the way, you might enjoy our post about window film and what happens when you try it for the first time!

Block a Bad View

Having an ugly view can really mess up your day, and take away from that zen experience you’re seeking. If the first thing you see is your neighbor’s garbage can, you’ll want to pull the covers back over your head and go back to sleep. Have you read our post: Window Film Confidential: How to Create Privacy Where There is None?

Block UV Light

By now, you’ve probably heard about how much damage UV light can do to you, your family, and your furniture and belongings. You don’t have to be a museum curator to benefit from having window film to protect your belongings. If you haven’t heard about how UV light can damage your furniture, you might want to read SF Gate’s article: How to Avoid UV Light Damage to Furniture.

Protect Your Skin and Eyes

UV light damages your skin and makes you age prematurely, not to mention that UV light has been shown to cause skin cancer. And too much of it also damages your eyes. This is one reason that the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the use of window film.

Use Your Entire Home

Have you been avoiding some part of your home because of glare or because your neighbors can see in? Here in the San Francisco Bay area, space is limited. That’s why you need to use every square inch of your space that you can. With window film, you don’t need to avoid the windows because you’re afraid the locals can see in. And that’s a very good thing.

Give Us a Call!

We’d love to provide window film for your home or office! Give us a call at 415.623.8700 when you’re ready to discuss window film. We’d love to talk to you and give you the zen experience!

Window Film Confidential: How to Create Privacy Where There is None

August 11, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Window Film Confidential: How to Create Privacy Where There is None

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, then you know how expensive it is to live here. Nearly every day, there’s an article about how crowded and pricey housing is here. Even if you do find a place to live, there’s probably no privacy. Roommates or neighbors are too close, and you need a little privacy!

What to Do?

You might like to read our previous article about privacy: Ten Day Challenge: More Privacy in San Francisco, for starters.

Block Sound

To block sound, some people prefer to use sound-blocking curtains in their home. Here’s one that we found: Moon Dream Curtains. These would be great if you have a noisy neighbor, and/or you work nights and need to sleep during the day. Their Frequently Asked Questions have additional ideas for blocking sound that you could try, such as rugs, and double-back tape to prevent the sound from entering your home.

Create Room Dividers

Do you use screens or room dividers to create smaller rooms out of larger ones? You’re not alone. You might want to refer to our article: Is Privacy Actually a Big Concern for You? with more tips on privacy. And right now we’re interested in these room divider kits that seem like a simple way to solve the problem of dividing up space.

Use Window Film

Of course, we recommend window film as the best and easiest way to find privacy. Why? It lasts, it’s installed by professionals, it blocks UV light which has been known to cause skin cancer, and it doesn’t take up any space.

Call Us

Confused about which kind of window film would work best for you and your privacy? Give us a call! We’d love to talk to you. Our number is 415.623.8700. We work all over the San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose, Silicon Valley, to Marin County, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and of course San Francisco counties.

It looks like a good day to try window film

July 31, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Of course, in our estimation, every day is a good day to try window film. Why right now, though? And why today? Here are a few reasons!

The Climate is Warming

No matter what you think the reason is for the climate warming up, there is no doubt that everything is getting warmer. For one thing, we’ve had the five hottest years on record since 2010, according to NASA scientists. A few people love the warmer weather, but in San Francisco, fewer do.

The Planet is More Crowded

With a growing population, privacy tends to disappear along with the wide open spaces we knew as kids. And wherever there’s less privacy, window film can help! See our article about privacy here: Ten Day Challenge: More Privacy in San Francisco. Maybe you’ve already tried using plants and folding screens for privacy and want to try the next step! Then window film can definitely help.

Skin Cancer Is a Real Concern

You may have read that avoiding the sun’s damaging UV rays can help you prevent skin cancer. If not, here’s a great article outlining what you can do to prevent skin cancer, from SkinCancer.org: Why Use Window Film? You do know that UV rays are sneaky, don’t you?

Why Window Works?

Window Works has a growing reputation among people in the San Francisco Bay Area. We’ve become much busier recently, especially after our move to San Francisco. We began working in the South Bay, helping people in the San Jose area, which we still do. But we’ve recently expanded our service area to not just San Francisco, but San Mateo County, Marin County, and Alameda County.

Our Clients

Many of our clients include big corporations and we do not share their names with you. Sometimes we’ll give you small clues, such as the time we shared pictures from “some fruit company.” But more often than not, we let our clients stay anonymous unless they specifically want publicity.

We’d Love to Help You!

The biggest reason to hire us for your residential or business window film needs is that we love what we do! So give us a call if you need window film! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

This is what happens when you try window film for the first time

July 17, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Want to know what happens when you try window film for the first time? Nothing, that’s what! Window film is so good just because you don’t know it’s there. But you may experience a quieter feeling inside your home. Without all the glare you’d usually experience, you won’t be squinting so much. But there’s more. Much, much more.

It’s More About What Isn’t There

The heat will be less, the temperatures will be more even, and the power bills will be smaller. Trust us on this one, it’s so much more about what’s not there, as you might have seen in a previous article of ours, The Invisible Power of Window Film You Need to See. In fact, you’ll probably forget that it’s there! Our minds have a way of forgetting unpleasant things, don’t they?

Your Skin Will Thank You

Well, not literally thank you, but you won’t get all that UV light coming in through the windows the way you used to. And that is very good for your skin, which has a big job to do anyway. With melanoma rates rising each year, anything we can do to protect our skin is a good thing. See why window film has been recommended by the Skin Cancer in our article, How to Use Window Film that Will Help You Prevent Skin Cancer.

Get Rid of Those Bulky Drapes

You never liked those drapes anyway, did you? Ever since you got that kitten who liked to climb up them, they haven’t really looked the same. Or maybe you had those automatic roller shades installed like Emily Henderson did. Read about how much she loved window film, in How Window Film Changed My House (and Life). Not only that, but she has excellent photos of the damage the sun did to her furniture and flooring.

Are You Considering Window Film?

Give us a call so we can answer your questions! We’d love to help you choose some window film if you’re considering it, but are unsure of your next steps. Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

How to Save Money and Beautify Your Home with Window Film

June 28, 2018 by Carol S 1 Comment

Have you ever considered using window film to save money for your residence in the San Francisco Bay Area? Everyone wants to save money on their home, especially since energy costs in the San Francisco Bay Area continue to rise. According to Electricity Local, San Francisco’s residential electric rates are 8th in the nation. Did you know that using window film can save you money as well as beautify your home? Here’s how that works!

Keep Energy Costs Down

When your home is too hot in the summer, your air conditioner has to work overtime so your cooling costs go up. And as you already know, energy costs in the San Francisco Bay Area have been going up every year. Save money on your energy costs by keeping the heat of the sun from entering your home to begin with. Your home stays cooler in the summer and your power bills stay lower, too. We like this article: Why Window Tinting is the Ultimate Life Hack for Saving Money.

sun room photo — Photo by Hotel Internazionale Ischia

Help Your Furniture Last Longer

You’ve spent a lot of money on that custom couch and that beautiful solid oak flooring, haven’t you? So why not keep it as long as possible? With window film, all your belongings are protected. According to an article in Houzz, “There are three main culprits in the spectrum of light: UVA and UVB rays cause 45 percent of the damage; heat/infrared radiation causes 25 percent; and visible light causes 25 percent…”. If you haven’t read A Surefire Way to Prevent Sun Damage Indoors, you might want to. They go on to say that “Good-quality solar window films, like those by Vista, 3M or Lumor, reject 99.9 percent of the sun’s harmful rays.”

Beautify and Protect

Here’s the part where we talk about the beautification. There are many different types of window films now. You can get stripes, dots, and more. And, as this article in the Denver Post entitled Abundantly clear: Window films can save money invisibly states, “Today’s window films can also inexpensively make clear glass look etched or frosted for privacy or a decorative effect.”

front room window photo — Photo by HYWare

Decorative Window Films

Maybe you missed our series about 3M Fasara decorative window films:

Have Questions?

We’d love to answer your questions! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

The Invisible Power of Window Film You Need to See

June 21, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

The really great thing about good window film is that it’s invisible. When it’s doing its job, you can’t even see it! Of course, that makes it a little difficult to talk about, right? It’s like trying to take a picture of the Invisible Man. He’s there, but how do you explain him to other people? Maybe we could begin by talking about some of the benefits of window film.

Protects You from UV Rays

We’ve all heard that ultraviolet (UV) rays can damage your skin and cause premature aging. Because UV rays are sneaky, they can find you when you least expect it. At the beach, in your office, and in your car, among other places. And it comes right through windows unless you have window film to block it!

commercial look photo — Photo by @AnnerleyJohnsonPhotos

Saves You Money on Your Utility Bills

When the sun’s rays don’t enter your home or business, you save money on your power bills. Things don’t heat up or cool down the way they do when you don’t have window film. Here’s a recent article we wrote about how you can save money on your power bills: Window Film: A Quick and Easy Way to Save Money?

uv skies photo — Photo by Robert.Pittman

Prevents Skin Cancer

Preventing skin cancer is a big one for us. The Skin Cancer organization has a whole section on skin cancer, UV protection, and window film on their website. Of course, using common sense when in the sun goes a long way towards preventing skin cancer, too. Staying out of the sun during the hottest times of the day, sporting a wide-brimmed hat, and wearing long sleeves can all help skin damage.

Keeps Employees (and You!) Happy

If you have employees, you want to keep them happy, don’t you? Don’t make the people who work with you wear sunglasses indoors because of a terrible problem with glare! We’ve seen many places where the employees have to wear sunglasses indoors–don’t let your workplace be one of them.

Ready for Window Film?

Give us a call! We’d love to talk to you about window film. We work all over the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Mateo County, Alameda County, and Santa Clara County.