Carol S

How Swapping out Curtains for Window Film Will Change Your Life

November 27, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

In all honesty, an article about a bathroom remodel is what inspired this blog post. This popular window treatment actually made my bathroom dark and gloomy so here’s what I’m swapping it to in 2025. Yes–that’s a mouthful for a headline, but it works! But actually, you could swap out your curtains for something that will bring in even more light! You already guessed that window film would do the trick, didn’t you?

Winter and Sunlight

If you’re like many of us, your mood (like your bathroom) might turn dark in the winter time. Many of us need some sunlight every day so having enough light is important in the wintertime. Swapping out your curtains for window film will boost the amount of sunlight you see every day. You’ll still probably want to go outside for walks, but window film lets you see outside.

Why wait for New Years Resolutions?

If one of your new year’s resolutions will be to reduce clutter, guess what?! Having window film instead of curtains helps reduce clutter. Not only that, window film is cleaner and easier. You never have to throw your window film in the washer–just wipe it every once in a while. Dust bunnies will be a thing of the past with window film! And somehow clutter tends to hide in the folds of curtains.

Window film can keep your temperatures more even

Did you know that window film can act as an insulator? So single-pane glass can act like double-pane and double-pane can act like triple-pane glass. That’s a lot of savings with just a single decision. We’ve written about how window film can even out your temperatures before: How Window Film Helps Save Energy: Five Ways. Saving energy also means you’ll pay less for your energy bills, too.

Protect your furnishings

And by furnishings, we mean your couch, anything wooden, and your beautiful hardwood floors, too! For people without window film, sometimes when they peel back their rugs, they’ll see a discolored floor. Sun can do that to your floor. But window film, unlike curtains, will protect your valuable furnishings. Because of course you won’t have the curtains drawn all the time. When window film is doing its job, you don’t even know that it’s there.

Keeps allergies in check

If dust is your enemy, then window film will help you because it doesn’t collect dust the way curtains do. And even if you don’t have allergies, who wants to be breathing in all that dust! Nobody, that’s who! The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has some other good ideas for Allergy Prevention.

Need ideas about how to swap out your curtains for window film?

If choosing which window film to get is overwhelming, give us a call! We’d love to help you choose the best film for your home or building. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the San Mateo Peninsula and Marin–and are expanding into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Why You Need Mirror & Stainless Steel Anti-Graffiti Films

November 15, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Maybe you’re a facilities manager and you’ve just gotten a high-rise building that needs stainless steel anti-graffiti film. The trouble is, you don’t even know what stainless steel anti-graffiti film is, let alone that you need it. All you know is that people keep scratching your elevator buttons and messing up the stainless steel in your bathrooms and lobby. What’s a facilities manager to do? Well, keep reading, of course!

Think ahead

If you already know people are going to scratch or spray graffiti on your beautiful mirrors or stainless steel, why not plan for it? We’ve helped many large building owners add window film to their tool kit. It’s easy for us to do, and saves you a ton of time, headaches, and expense later. By the way, we’ve written about facilities managers before and how they need window film: Why Would a Facilities Manager Need Window Film? However, mirror and stainless steel anti-graffiti films are a whole different animal than window films to control heat or UV protection.

Anti-graffiti film perfect for restrooms

You can’t stop graffiti

You can’t be everywhere at once, and there’s no stopping someone with a spray can or set of keys and an urge to make their mark, so to speak, on your property. But you can fight back! The Project for Public Spaces has some ideas for helping to prevent graffiti. If your building includes an outdoor area, those ideas could help.

Scratching hurts your building’s looks

Like graffiti, scratching makes your stainless steel or mirrors look ugly. And, just like graffiti, you can fight back with stainless steel anti-graffiti film. Window film can be used to cover your mirrors as well as your stainless steel surfaces. And similar to stainless steel anti-graffiti film, our Mirror Shield can be peeled off a layer at a time, as scratches occur. Think about your elevators, vending machines, and sign posts or wherever there’s scratching. Those can all be protected.

Vandalism in restrooms

Restrooms are impossible to monitor, so your countertops, restroom partitions, paper towel dispensers, etc., are vulnerable to vandalism. Why not protect them from the many people who could vandalize them? You and your tenants deserve a clean, safe environment, and that includes the restrooms!

Acid etching also hurts your stainless and mirrors

Why oh why do people use acid to etch your beautiful stainless and mirrors? We have our own theories, but we won’t get into that here. But realize that there’s something you can do to recover from acid etching.

But wait! there’s more!

Either stainless steel anti-graffiti film or the mirror shield can be customized with an exact fit to your stainless steel surface or your mirrors. You can’t even tell it’s there! If you’re in a condo, here are some ideas to prevent and respond to vandalism there.

Need ideas about which anti-graffiti film to get?

If choosing which anti-graffiti film is overwhelming, give us a call! We’d love to help you choose the best film for your building. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and are expanding into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Distraction Markers on Glass: Five Reasons to Use Them

October 29, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Distraction Marker One — Distraction markers can be beautiful

We all get distracted from time to time, especially while walking around with a cell phone in one hand and a donut in the other. Or maybe you get distracted by everything around you, just like — oh, look! a puppy! Wait, what was I saying? Anyway, if you get distracted, distraction markers on glass could help you, your friends, family, coworkers, and others avoid injuries. If you’re wondering what Distraction Markers are, this article is helpful: Utilizing Distraction Markers in Office Spaces. By the way, distraction markers are a big topic of conversation for facilities managers.

They can be beautiful and simple

As you can see from the image above, your distraction marker can add a design element to your glass. Although many distraction markers are stripes, yours can be different. Does your company work with trees? Are you a plumber? You can add a design that illustrates what you do. And not in a blatant, hit-your-customers-over-the-head way, either. Your design can be subtle and beautiful.

You can use your company logo

In the interests of privacy, we’re not showing you an image of a company logo, but keep in mind that we can use your logo on your glass. So your distraction marker can be both a safety feature as well as an advertisement. We think that’s pretty cool.

Distraction Markers for Privacy — Distraction Markers are for Privacy

Distraction markers keep you safe

People walk into glass doors more often than you might think. But do they talk about it? NO–they do not! And that’s one reason no one knows how many accidents there truly are. Because where’s the data? It’s a secret–that’s where! Anyway, no one in their right mind would walk into the glass above. Would they? If you ever see an entryway covered with plywood and duct tape, you can probably guess what happened. Not only is it inconvenient to get that fixed, it’s dangerous because…glass. And also, it’s a security risk while you wait to get the glass repaired and the security guy has to work extra hours to protect your space.

Distraction Markers Design Element — Distraction Markers as Design Element

They add privacy

In the example above, you can see how much privacy is added with the addition of a simple design. And you can choose how much of your glass you want to cover. By the way, we talk a lot about privacy. Here’s a post you might like: Is Window Film Good for Privacy?

They can be installed on any length of interior glass

Distraction markers are plotter cut from 3M Dusted Crystal or Frosted Crystal and can be installed on any length of interior glass. Sometimes a single horizontal stripe can be the best type of distraction marker. It depends on you and what look you’d like to have.

Does this topic make you distracted?

If choosing a style for your distraction marker is overwhelming, give us a call! We’d love to help you choose the best distraction marker for your building. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and are expanding into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Why Would a Facilities Manager Need Window Film?

October 16, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Some of our favorite people are facilities managers, and many of the facilities they manage need window film–even if they don’t know it! We love facilities managers so much that we go to the Northern California Facilities Expo every year. In fact, this was our ninth year! Check out our last blog post: NorCal Facilities Expo October 9-10: Five Reasons to Join Us! And if you didn’t go this year, make a note to join us next year!

But we’re here to discuss why you, a facilities manager, would want to use window film. There many ways facilities managers can leverage window film to improve building efficiency, comfort, and aesthetics. We’ve even talked about How Window Film Empowers Facilities Managers before.

Energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is a big one. Most people have heard of solar heat gain, or they’ve experienced it without knowing exactly what it is. If you lower solar heat gain, you save on how much it costs to run your building. That is, your power bills will come down. According to the Department of Energy, “Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is the fraction of solar radiation admitted through a window, door, or skylight.” Check out their post on energy efficient window coverings–there’s even a section in there on window film.

Glare reduction

You can put glare reduction in many ways to keep your clients happy. Nobody wants to walk into their office and have to squint to see their work. Worse yet–nobody wants to wear sunglasses indoors! And yet, that’s what happens a lot without window film. So in addition to the energy efficiency, the lack of glare will also keep your customers (and you) happy.

UV protection

Window film can block up to 99% of UV rays. Those rays can cause skin cancer, too. If you’d like to hear it from the Skin Cancer Foundation, here’s their article about window film and sun protection: How Much Do You Know about this Sun Protection Strategy? Window film protects you in your vehicle, at home, or at your business.

Safety and security

With hurricanes in the news lately, we’ve all become more aware of the awesome power of nature. Window film can help hold glass together so that even if glass breaks, you don’t have flying shards that can cause harm. Here in California we rarely have hurricanes, but we often have strong winds which can blow out windows, especially in towers or skyscrapers. If you’re the facilities manager for a big building, having window film installed can give you and your clients peace of mind.

Need ideas?

Have questions about how to use window film in a building you manage? Give us a call and we’ll give you some ideas! We’d love to help you choose the best window film for your building. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and are expanding into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

How Do I Eliminate Sun Glare through Windows? Six Ways

September 30, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

With the sun’s heat so brutal lately, we’ve all been suffering from sun glare. And climate change has been getting worse, so in all likelihood we’ll be getting more sun glare in our future, too. If this sounds like an issue that might be bothering you, we’ve collected six ways to eliminate sun glare. Most of these ideas are for your home or business, not your car. We’ve written about sun glare before and you might like: How to Dramatically Cut Back Sun Glare.

Hang thick curtains

Curtains can certainly help you eliminate sun glare and also keep the temperature inside your house cooler in the summer. Thick curtains will also cut down on noise while keeping the inside of your house darker if the glare is giving you headaches. Blackout curtains will also do the trick, especially if you’re a night worker and need to sleep during the day.

Wear sunglasses and a hat

Don’t laugh, but we actually know people who have to do this inside their own homes and businesses. Maybe the owners (in the case of businesses) don’t realize how the glare affects its own employees and customers? Or maybe they don’t want to fix the problem? Just guessing. Anyway, I digress. Sunglasses and hats will indeed cut down on sun glare, even if it seems like a silly solution. For more information on protecting your eyes from glare, see Protecting Your Eyes from the Macular Society.

Find a shrubbery

There’s something about the word shrubbery that’s just…funny! It always reminds me of that Monty Python movie where the Knights who say “Ni!” demand a shrubbery. A nice one. And not too expensive. But I digress. Again. Trees and shrubberies can provide much-needed shade and help eliminate glare, too. There is an issue, though. With trees and shrubs overhanging your house, your insurance company might complain. Around here, with fire danger high, trees can catch fire and drop onto your roof. Also, tree limbs can break off and damage your roof during storms.

Awnings are great

Some awnings are retractable, so you can extend or retract them as necessary. Although this is a bit of work, it will definitely help with sun glare. And you might enjoy the little bit of extra exercise you get extending and retracting them. As the Department of Energy explains in this article, “About 30% of a home’s heating energy is lost through windows. In cooling seasons, about 76% of sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat.”

Eliminate the windows

Seriously, though, if you’re going to work so hard to cover your windows, why even have them? You could just build a concrete bunker and be done with it. You could also live in a cave! But most people appreciate the comforts of a home. With. Windows.

Window Film

You knew we were going to say window film, didn’t you? And you guessed correctly! Window film helps reduce glare, saves your eyesight, and keeps your home more clutter film than if you didn’t have it. Window film also has some surprising benefits: Surprising Uses for Window Film.

We’ll keep you informed

Have questions about how to use window film to cut down glare? Give us a call and we’ll give you some ideas! We’d love to help you choose the best window film for your home or office. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and beyond! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

NorCal Facilities Expo October 9-10: Five Reasons to Join Us!

September 17, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

We’d love for you to join us at the Northern California Facilities Expo October 9 and 10, 2024. It’s in Santa Clara, California at the Santa Clara Convention Center. We’ve been going for more than the number of fingers we have, but here are the most recent posts:

The Five Ws

By the way, we’ve gone to other facilities expos before, but we’ve been to this one a lot! Also, here are the W’s you might like:

Who: Window Works and many other vendors
What: the Expo showcases vendors of interest to facilities managers
Where: Booth 410 at the Santa Clara Convention Center (near Levi’s Stadium)
When: Wednesday, October 9 & Thursday, October 10
Why: It’s fun, free, and there’s plenty of easy parking! 🚗 (see more reasons below)

Here are some reasons you might like to visit the Expo and see our booth (oops! gave one away already!).

Photo Contest

Come by our booth and take a photo with us and you’ll be entered into a contest! And don’t worry–we won’t share your name with anyone!

It’s Fun

Don’t you love events where you get to walk around and talk to people and learn about new products and services? So do we! That’s why we keep going back year after year. You’ll see some amazing new products and visit our booth, as well as others! For instance, we love our neighbors at Atlas Copco, one of the sponsors this year!

It’s Free

Hey, this is so a good reason. And sometimes the best things really are free, despite that old saying You Get What You Pay For. Like puppies, and parks, and having conversations with future friends. Even the parking is free! Plus! If you’re counting your steps like most of our friends are these days, you’ll get a lot of exercise aka steps!

You’ll Learn Things

We can’t say which things you might learn, but there you go. How does that old saying go? You don’t know what you don’t know or something like that. We’ll definitely teach you some things about window film if you stop by our booth.

Swag from 2023's NorCal Facilities Expo — Swag from 2023’s NorCal Facilities Expo

It’s Swagalicious!

Some of our most favorite swag comes from the Northern California Facilities Expo. And if that’s what gets you in the door, we’ll emphasize that. Let us know whose swag you like the most! And which booth is your favorite, too!

Questions about Window Film?

Have questions about how window film can help facilities managers? Give us a call and we’ll give you some ideas! We’d love to help you choose the best window film for your overheated home or office. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and beyond! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Color of the Year Predictions 2025

August 28, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Every paint company, interior designer, and even foodie influencer has their prediction for the 2025 color of the year. So what’s a regular person to do? We’ve collected a bunch of these color-of-the-year predictions and we’re not even selling paint, interior design, or food, although we like all those things! We’ll give our own opinions, too, even though you didn’t ask for them. Also: you’re welcome!

We wrote about colors in the past, too. You might like Pantone’s Color of the Year 2023.

HGTV Home Collection by Sherwin Williams

Not content to have just one color, Sherwin Williams has given an entire collection of colors this fancy pants moniker. What do you think of it? Naturally Refined is the collection’s name and Quietude is the brand’s 2025 Color of the Year. This collection seems rather safe, since its focus is so wide. But our favorite is the Reading Nook with its Nutshell color (scroll down in the article), with the Nursery with Spiced Cider coming in second. Both rooms have unusual color combinations.

Martha Stewart talks about Behr’s Color of the Year

Behr Paint, which has chosen Rumors as its 2025 Color of the Year, has picked a beautiful ruby red color. We couldn’t be more pleased with this one. It’s rich and romantic and evocative of a bygone era, while also being modern. How can that be? No clue, but it works beautifully. So beautifully that Martha Stewart included it in one of her articles.

Valspar chooses a deep blue

Another deep, jewel tone color is Valspar’s gorgeous, ultramarine blue. It’s a soothing and relaxing blue that will make you want to relax wherever you use this color. And the article also gives some harmonizing colors which you might like. This is another winner.

Stainmaster picks Truffle

Don’t you wish you had the job of choosing paint names? Truffle is another deep color choice that envelopes you with earthy goodness. And it’s not just the kind of earthy goodness that pigs like, but humans like it as well! It’s a beautiful deep brown color that is available only at Lowe’s.

Mochi by Little Green

One of our favorites is Mochi, which probably looks very different depending on the light. It has peachy-pink undertones, and you could probably relax while eating your mochi in your mochi-painted kitchen. This is a neutral which would work anywhere in the house or office. Check out the color combinations on the Mochi website, too. You could even pair Mochi with other brownish colors, such as Nutshell or Truffle for tone-on-tone fabulousness.

Have questions?

You can use decorative window film to harmonize with whatever colors you choose for your home or office. Give us a call and we’ll give you some ideas! We’d love to help you choose the best window film for your home or office. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and beyond! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Design Secrets with Decorative Window Film: You Need to Know These

August 14, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Did you know? Window film isn’t just something you slap on your car window. There are many ways you can use window film–from geometric patterns to custom graphics. If you were unaware of all the design possibilities, hang in there and we’ll show you a few examples of how you can use window film. By the way, we’ve talked about decorative window film before: How to Use Decorative Window Film. Window film has become much more subtle in recent times, so hang in there.

Window Film Creates a Barrier But Lets Light Through

Outdoor privacy

With cities becoming more and more crowded, you can use window film so that your neighbors don’t always have to see what you’re doing. On the rooftop above, you can see how window film creates a barrier, yet still lets light through. If you like to use your rooftop for picnics or gardening (as many do in San Francisco), this is a good option.

Privacy indoors

It’s critical that you have privacy indoors as well as outdoors. Window film isn’t an all-or-nothing proposition. For instance, you can cover half a window with window film so either your neighbors or your kids–or your neighbors’ kids!–don’t see what you’re doing. This is a good option for people who live in popular resort towns, where tourists gawk at their patios or decks. We’ve also covered some surprising uses for window film.

Dichroic window film gives you color!

Here’s another example, above, of what you can do with window film. In this case, Dichroic window film for the win! Isn’t it fun? Kids of all ages love the Dichroic window film. But you don’t have to use this film for a classroom. It would be equally fun for a kids’ room or gameroom as well.

On another note, 3M has some beautiful architectural finishes that can be used on glass or other surfaces. We love the 3M Fasara glass finishes: A new series of the popular Japanese paper “washi” design is available. The Shigure surface has a special matte finish that expresses the delicate fibers of Japanese paper.

Extending privacy outdoors

You don’t want everyone to see what you’re barbequing all the time, do you? Neither do we! Above is a privacy screen we did for a customer in Marin county. Of course, you could also cover a glass wall or partition indoors, too. Some people like to hang glass partitions and cover the glass with window film for a semi-transparent wall. You can create a wall without building something that blocks light and air flow.

We’ll keep you informed

Have questions about how to use decorative window film? Give us a call and we’ll give you some ideas! We’d love to help you choose the best window film for your home or office. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and beyond! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

How Window Film Helps Save Energy: Five Ways

July 30, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

You might have heard some of the other ways window film makes you life better, but does it help you save energy? It reduces glare, prevents UV transmission through your glass, and helps you maintain privacy. We’ll tell you about how window film saves you energy, too. And that can help you lower your power bills, something we all love.

Reduces Heat Gain

Heat gain is not something you want in your life. Heat gain is when the temperature rises due to heat from the sun. And when it’s too hot, it’s hard to do anything except sit on the couch and fan yourself. But with window film, heat that could get through your windows is reflected back and away. We’ve talked about heat gain before here: Solar Heat Gain: Why Should it Matter to You?

Acts as a Thermal Shield

Now, Thermal Shield might sound like something out of Deadpool and Wolverine, but we assure you it’s not. A thermal shield protects you from the heat coming through your windows. 3M™ window film is a very good example of an excellent thermal shield. Come to think of it, they could’ve used it in Deadpool and Wolverine. Maybe there would’ve been less fighting. That extreme heat makes everyone cranky.

Uses Less Energy Heating and Cooling

With window film, you’ll use less energy heating and cooling your home or office. Since your temperature will stay more constant, you’ll have less reliance on your A/C or thermostat, thus driving down the cost of your energy. And if you don’t believe us, maybe the Department of Energy will sway you? Here’s a quote from 3M’s website: “The Department of Energy considers window film a top-tier technology for energy conservation with one of the fastest paybacks — approximately three years.”

Eliminates Hot Spots

If you’re a facilities manager, hot spots can mean a lot of complaints from employees. You don’t want to have to move people around every time the sun hits a certain spot–do you? Window film helps you eliminate the hot spots and provides more even temperatures in all the offices. At home, there’s the same problem with hot spots. You shouldn’t have to move your from your favorite spot because of a hot spot.

Acts as an Insulator

Window film can be an insulator for your windows. When you think of insulation, you might think of the big thick pink blanket living in your attic. But a thin layer of window film can also give you insulation and keep you cooler in the summer as well as warmer in the winter.

Saves Your Energy

Have questions about how to save energy and window film? Give us a call and we’ll give you some ideas! We’d love to help you choose the best window film for your overheated home or office. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and beyond! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

How to Avoid Extreme Heat: Five Ways

July 15, 2024 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Climate change is here, and with it, extreme heat. Learn how to avoid extreme heat and make your home or office more resilient to climate change. As Bob Villa says in his article Making Your Home More Resilient Can Boost Your Peace of Mind, “according to Realtor.com, 44.8 percent of homes in the United States are at risk of potentially serious damage from flooding, wind, wildfires, and other climate-related events.” Making sure you know how to avoid extreme heat is critical during these extra-hot days.

Insulation protects you against heat and cold

Not only does insulation help to lower your power bills, it protects you against extreme temperatures. And doesn’t it seem that every other day there are extreme temperatures somewhere? Even in San Francisco, where we typically are protected against extremes because of our naturally-occurring fog, we sometimes get very hot days. There are many more benefits of insulation, as the National Insulation Association outlines (did you know about its return on investment?).

Leaks around windows and doors

It’s better to check for air and water leaks around your windows and doors when the weather is good and not when there’s an extreme weather event. The Department of Energy has some excellent and simple ways you can check for leaks. For example, wiggling your doors tells you that there might be an air leak. (They didn’t use the word wiggling, but they really should!). Some leaks are really obvious. If your hat blows off when you’re next to a (closed) door, that could be a clue. Other leaks are sneakier. Air leaks can occur around switch plates or air conditioners. So get your caulk guns ready!

Energy Assessment

If you’re able to check your own home for energy leaks and where you might need to improve it, would you? You could either do it yourself (see the Department of Energy for its how-to article) or hire someone who might be more discerning and have more experience. With an energy assessment, you can check sealing gaps, determine your level of insulation, and much more. If your home is an older one, it’s likely that there are more energy-efficient choices available.

Better windows

Double-pane or even triple-pane windows can certainly help to prevent extreme heat. And those windows can also keep out the noise, too. If you live in a crowded city, or on a busy street, those noises and that heat can keep you awake at night. Is better sleep a priority for you? Then an investment in better windows might be just the ticket.

Window film

You knew we were going to talk about window film, didn’t you? Your family and your employees will thank you if you use window film to guard against extreme heat. We’ve discussed how window film reduces heat before: Heat Reduction and Privacy Window Film. We work with 3M and their wonderful window film often, and we can tell you about what we have learned.

Avoid extreme heat anywhere in the San Francisco Bay Area

Have questions about heat reduction and window film? Give us a call and we’ll give you some ideas! We’d love to help you choose the best window film for your overheated home or office. We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin–and beyond! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.