Blog – Page 2

Five Things You Didn’t Know about Low-e Film

November 14, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Low-e window film can convert a single-pane window to a double-pane and convert a double-pane into a triple-pane window. You probably already know what a double-pane window can do as far as insulating your home, since nearly everyone has seen a double-pane window. But low-e film can do a lot more for a lot less than simply replacing your windows. Here are some fun facts you might not know (yet!).

Low-e window film reflects heat rather than absorbing it

If you’ve ever held up your hand to a window during the heat of the summer, you know just how hot a window can get. If you have low-e window film installed, the heat will reflect off that window and feel much cooler to the touch. The same holds true during other seasons (that is, when it’s cold outside, the window will feel warmer to the touch).

It reduces heat loss in winter

Just as low-e window film can help with heat in the summer, it can help reduce heat loss in the winter. What you want is window film that keeps the temperature stable year round. This can help you reduce your heating bills–which only seem to get higher and higher every winter. For some other ideas on reducing heat loss, see PG&E’s Home Energy Checkup.

And it reduces heat gain in summer

Heat gain is the increase in temperature in a space due to heat entering from an external source. That external source would be your windows! That solar radiation can mean a lot of discomfort for you, your friends, employees, kids, etc. You probably also avoid that part of your home or office if it’s too warm! So a hidden benefit is you’ll probably use more of your home or office if you have low-e film installed.

Low-e film costs a lot less than replacing your windows

Right now money is tight for a lot of people. We hear you and know what you’re going through. You’d still like to save some money, but without breaking the bank to do it, right? So an easy way to save on your energy bill is to install low-e film. Even if you already have double-pane windows, you can still add low-e film for even more savings. How much does it cost to replace your single-pane windows with double-pane ones? You can estimate your cost with this article from This Old House.

Savings on your energy bill

Everyone wants to save on their energy bill. Whether you’re a homeowner, business owner, or facilities manager, installing low-e window film helps you lower your energy bill. By the way, we’ve talked about energy savings before. You might like: How to Use Window Film for Energy Efficiency. Also, you’ll be a good citizen if you use less energy.

Give us a call!

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can give you advice on low-e window film. We’d love to help you choose the best film. 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 have expanded into southern California (Costa Mesa) and Scottsdale, Arizona, too! Give us a call at our San Francisco location at 415.623.8700.

2026 Color of the Year

October 29, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

While writing this post about the 2026 color of the year, it occured to us that maybe some of you (gasp!) might have thought we were trying to get you to click on this article! But we weren’t trying to create a clickbait post, promise! It’s just that around this time every year, dozens of articles about colors of the year appear. We’ve written about the color of the year before, too. And if you’re interested in interior design or even just painting your house, what are you supposed to do? Here are some ideas for you.

Look at the compilations

Martha Stewart has a fun compilation of every paint color of the year because of course she does! But you know what? That was last updated in September, 2025 and there’s still more time left in the year! Which makes us think. Is this like every store in town putting out their Christmas stuff in July? I mean, c’mon, Martha! At least publish something closer to the end of the year!

Choose three favorites

Whenever we’re presenting something to a client, we narrow down the choices. So if it’s you who needs a new paint color, why not first narrow the choices? For example, in Martha’s article linked above, we like Melodious Ivory, Warm Mahogany, and Epernay. You could look at the colors you definitely don’t want, and then take it from there. When you have three contenders, put it up to a vote with coworkers or family members. But remember–you have veto power!

Go back in time

You don’t even need a way-back machine for this one. There’s already an article that you can use! Here’s every single Pantone Colour of the Year for the past 25 years! It’s interesting to read some of the history, too. ‘It is one long, continuously flowing conversation among a group of colour-attuned people.’ says Laurie Pressman, Vice President of the Pantone Colour Institute. So it’s not a bunch of people sitting in a room for one day, drinking, and voting like we all imagined. Although that might be entertaining, too!

Color blocking with window film

In case you were wondering, you can add color to your home or office with window film, too. For instance, you can try color blocking with window film. And since colors definitely influence your mood, and winter is coming, why not use some upbeat colors to make you feel perky? You don’t even need a prescription for this mood-altering solution!

Want to see what window film can do for you?

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can give you advice on best color choices or window film. We’d love to help you choose the best film. 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 have expanded into southern California (Costa Mesa) and Scottsdale, Arizona, too! Give us a call at our San Francisco location at 415.623.8700.

Best Window Film for the Fall?

October 15, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Maybe you’d like to get window film, but you think it’s not the right time of year. Would it surprise you to know that there are window films for different seasons? And for the fall season we’d have to say that security window film is the best choice! There are other things you can do to ensure your safety such as having home security cameras, but to cover all your bases, window film really helps.

What is security window film?

Security window film holds your window together so the glass doesn’t turn into shards that can injure people. Security film can also provide UV protection so your window also protects your skin and your belongings at the same time it keeps the glass together in case of breakage. We’ve talked about safety and security window film before. You might like Safety and Security Window FIlm: What’s up with that?

Fall isn’t just about pretty autumn leaves

We love autumn leaves as much as the next person, but if your windows aren’t protected, you might not enjoy those pretty leaves. We’d love to help you stop worrying and sleep better at night. Fall is also the time to think about your own safety and preparing for the winter. And one of the best things about safety film is what you don’t see about it–its invisibility. As they say on the 3M website, “Nothing can shatter your confidence more than a break-in.”

Protect yourself this fall

Want to make your customers, friends, and neighbors feel safer? If you’re in a big building, installing security window film can help! Even in a not-so-tall building, your glass might be subjected to strong winds which could cause breakage. And let’s not even mention thieves wanting to smash, grab, and go! Windows are among the weakest points of your home or business, and where thieves are most likely to enter, so installing window film makes the most sense for your security.

Safety film makes you feel safe

Whether it’s someone trying to break in, or high winds causing your glass to break, safety film gives you that feeling of security. Before the holiday festivities begin in earnest and the weather gets too crazy, why not consider some safety film? Our weather has been getting more extreme, so it’s good to be prepared. For more information about safety and security film, check out the Safety and Security window film Wikipedia.

Ready for some safety window film for the fall?

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can help keep you and your home or business stay safer. We’d love to help you choose the best film. 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 have expanded into southern California (Costa Mesa) and Scottsdale, Arizona, too! Give us a call at our San Francisco location at 415.623.8700.

Why Birds Love Window Film

October 3, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

The 2025 bird migration season is well underway, with birds flying overhead in huge flocks. You can take a look at the numbers via the BirdCast Migration website, or just go outside at night with binoculars. The Colorado State University and Cornell Lab of Ornithology produce the graphs, which are updated frequently. Since we love birds (and who doesn’t love birds?), we keep track of the migrations and the ways we can help prevent birds from hitting windows. Stick with us here. Window film is just one way, but there are others, too. By the way, we’ve written about birds and window film before, but that was three years ago. It’s time for an update!

Over a billion birds die from collisions each year

That’s an incredible number, isn’t it? But there are many ways to prevent bird deaths. Short of putting out orange cones with complex arrows to signal detours around your house or office, here are some other things you can do. Birds see what’s around or behind your glass and assume there’s a clear flight path, and end up hurtling into your windows! Even people run into glass, especially if it’s kept clean.

Light and Landscape

The way you light your landscape has an enormous effect on what birds see at night and whether they miss your big glass windows or keep flying. By turning down your lights–both interior and exterior–you can help prevent bird deaths. If you have shades, draw them down at night, and keep lights pointed down and away from the night sky, according to the Bird Collision Prevention Alliance. It’s especially important to turn off lights where your indoor greenery meets glass, as this is like the proverbial Halloween candy for birds.

Innovative design

Glass treatments

Glass treatments, such as our custom bird film, shown above, has evolved over the past few years. “Feather friendly” options now include many more patterns, such as dots, squares, and even UV film that birds can see but are nearly invisible to humans. Fritted window film is window film which includes patterns to help birds avoid glass. And, just like other types of window film, some could even be seen as decorative.

Birds hit buildings near water

Buildings near water seem to be places where birds most often collide with windows. Birds are attracted to the landscapes near water, and also to the water itself. There are many buildings like this around the San Francisco Bay. Often, facilities managers don’t realize that there’s a solution. So if you have a big commercial building (with lots of windows) near the water, we need to talk!

Need to explore your choices?

We’d love to protect the birds in your neighborhood with window film! Give us a call at 415.623.8700 when you’re ready to save the birds! We’d love to talk to you and answer all your questions! We work all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area, from San Jose to the East Bay to the Peninsula and Marin. And we’ve expanded into Southern California, too!

NorCal Facilities Expo Sept 30-Oct 1: Five Reasons We Love it!

September 15, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

In case you didn’t know, the NorCal Facilities Expo is coming up soon! We’ve been going for about 1,000 years. If you’re on the fence about going, here are some reasons you should join us! And we’ve written about the NorCal Facilities Expo before–here are some of our previous posts:

NorCal Facilities Expo 2024
NorCal Facilities Expo 2023
NorCal Facilities Expo 2022
NorCal Facilities Expo 2021
NorCal Facilities Expo 2020
NorCal Facilities Expo 2019 (this one includes a fun video)

Sign up is free

Not only is sign up free, there’s free parking at the Santa Clara Convention Center, too! How many events are free any more? None, that’s how many! Here’s the sign-up link. At the very least, you can meet a bunch of people (including us!), listen to some good lectures, and learn a few things, too. On another note, the venue is pretty great, too. The Santa Clara Convention Center has huge glass walls, which you’ll see as you walk in.

Interesting events

No matter who you are, you’ll love attending an event or two. Here’s the schedule for the events. This year, the keynote will be all about AI. On Tuesday, there’s a talk about The Five Generations in Today’s Workforce–which everyone needs to understand. On Wednesday, there’s a talk about the Nation’s First Net-Zero Energy Mass Timber Civic Building, nearby in Redwood City. Note the giveaways and happy hour, too.

Meet other professionals

Whether you’re a facilities manager, maintenance manager, or just someone who’s curious about what’s happening in the facilities world, you’ll get to meet people and learn something new. Everyone is always very friendly and willing to talk. And people ask some of the craziest questions, which we’re happy to answer. We really love the emphasis on prevention that we’re seeing at the Facilities Expo, too.

The swag!

Some of our favorite swag comes from the Facilities Expo. There are markers, small tools, candy, and mugs. Last year, there was a potted plant given out as a prize at one booth. And we love all the unusual swag such as the tool card blueprint, webcam cover, and bottle openers we saw last year. Some of our favorite swag comes from our friends at Atlas Copco. They’re also sponsoring the Happy Hour, by the way.

Come by and see our window film!

Come by our booth (right down the center aisle, near Atlas Copco!) and learn how we can help keep you and your home or business cooler and safer. We expect to field a lot of questions about our new safety films. In the past, we’ve met people from the commercial, industrial, government and institutional sectors. And many people we’d never expect to meet. We’d love to help you choose the best film. 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 have expanded into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Do You Need Smart Window Film?

August 27, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Business meeting inside glass-walled conference room.

First of all, what is smart window film? Is smart window film going to be smarter than you, and if so, do you need to dumb it down? Will it be talking to your smart appliances? If all the smart things are talking to each other, can you get into that conversation, too? Smart window film isn’t smart in the way that smart appliances are smart, although maybe in the future it will be.

Smart window film definition

Smart window film can switch between opaque and transparent so you can choose how it operates. Opaque (or transparent) window film can give you the privacy you want. Since you might not always want the opaque film, you can switch it on or off as needed. And it operates quickly, unlike bulky shades or window coverings.

Who uses smart window film?

Anyone who needs privacy can use smart window film. That includes homeowners, especially in places where there’s little privacy (think San Francisco or any big city), architects, building owners, etc. It can also give you security, since people can’t see in. It’s also used to control light in upscale luxury homes, retail outlets, and hotels. You might like this article: Create Privacy without Compromising Style.

Smart window film provides flexibility

Say you have a big office with conference rooms. But you don’t want to commit to any one kind of window film on your surface. Smart film lets you have the flexibility you need so you can have a transparent wall or switch to a more private setting as you need it. Also, smart window film makes you and your office look modern–because you are modern!

Public buildings need it

Airports, lobbies, and other high-traffic areas can switch from transparent to opaque in an instant. So your facilities manager is probably the person who would be likely to provide smart film to your building. By the way, if you’re a facility manager, you might like: Why Would a Facilities Manager Need Window Film? In addition to the convenience of smart film, all the benefits of regular window film apply.

Trains, Planes, and Automobiles

Although Trains, Planes, and Automobiles is a terrific movie from the 80s, all three modes of transportation can use smart film to reduce glare and create privacy. Ask the next shower curtain ring salesman (John Candy’s job in Trains, Planes, and Automobiles) you happen to see whether having smart film would be useful as they travel the country. And of course they’d say yes because nobody likes glare (and also, everyone wants more privacy).

Want to hear more about smart window film?

Give us a call and we’d be glad to tell you what we can do. We’d love to help you choose the best film. 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 have expanded into southern California and Scottsdale, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700. Or, if you’ve already decided you need our services, fill out the convenient form right at the top of our website.

Safety & Security Window Film: What’s up with that?

August 14, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Did you know that you can reduce forced entry into your home, business, or school? Or that you might be able to protect yourself against storms and the glass shards that could result? Or that your glass could be held together in a frame to prevent shattering when it hits the ground? Safety and security window film is all that, and more. Read on to find out what else you can expect.

You might think there’s nothing you can do

If you feel hopeless sometimes with an increase in storms in your area, you can protect yourself. Really. Window film not only protects you and your skin from UV light, it can help protect you against storms. Storms can damage your home and business not only from rain, but also windstorm events and the debris that can pile up afterwards.

Feeling helpless is not an option

Doesn’t it feel better when you take action, rather than feeling victimized? We do! A little preparation now makes you feel more in control when things around you are changing quickly. The climate is changing, and everyone can do a little something to offset those changes. You might like our article about climate change: How does window film battle climate change?

Reduce spontaneous glass breakage

Have you ever seen glass break spontaneously? We’ve seen it, and it isn’t pretty. Often, entire city blocks have to be shut down to clean up the mess and ensure that no one is injured. Although glass is beautiful, when it breaks it can leave an awful mess. Here’s some more info, via Wiki, about spontaneous glass breakage. You can’t always see an imperfection in glass, and occasionally breakage occurs.

Delay intruders

Just a few seconds can thwart an intruder. While window film alone won’t stop an intruder, any delay can make an intruder move onto easier targets. Think about how quickly car thieves can break into a car. The same applies to windows at your home. If a burglar is nervous about someone seeing them enter a home, they’ll move on and try someplace else.

Have more peace of mind

Peace of mind is critical to better sleep, and feeling happier. Less worry about your safety and security helps you feel better in many ways. Why spend your time worrying when there’s something you can actually do to feel that peace of mind? Although we’re big proponents of yoga and meditation, we’re also big fans of window film–in case you hadn’t guessed!

Ready for some safety and security window film?

Window Film Mistakes: Five We See Most Often!

July 30, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Did you know that when window film is doing its best work, it’s invisible? Yes, it’s true! If you can see window film, that means something is wrong. But when can you see window film? When there’s a mistake (or five). Here are a few that we see all the time. We didn’t start out trying to make this a funny blog post–it just seemed to happen! By the way, on the positive side, you might like Design Uses for Window Film.

Bubbling window film

Ok, did you install your own window film and forget to clean the window first? Did you think 15 minutes was enough to cover all your windows so you went ahead because you had a super fun event to go to and couldn’t be late? Those are just two of the reasons your film could be bubbling. That is, not cleaning the window, and hurrying. We see it all the time–and usually have to fix it while trying not to laugh, which is harder than you’d think.

Purple window film

While window film does eventually break down, if it turns purple the technical reason is because of how the dyes age. But also if you choose cheap window film, it can turn purple, so you probably shouldn’t buy that stuff you saw on Facebook marketplace because “it was a bargain.” That is, unless you truly want purple window film. Then it’s all good!

Peeling film

Window film can peel because of a few different reasons: the glue wasn’t strong enough, improper installation (see below), or because of using old film. If you had some old film sitting around in your garage for a decade or two, it’s probably a good idea to get some new film. Or if you didn’t completely saturate the film with enough liquid, that could also cause it to peel later. Also, if your film is exposed to harsh UV light for long enough, that can also cause peeling.

Sloppy cut film

Have you ever heard of the old saying measure twice, cut once? With window film, you could even extend it to saying measure three times, cut once. Cuts have to be exact. There’s no “oh, that looks good enough” with window film. You’ll need exact measurements. If your window film is cut to the wrong size, your install will look bad.

Improper installation

When window film is properly installed it’s invisible! You notice window film by how you, your home, and your business feel cooler. Of course, improper installation could encompass all of the reasons above. If you have edge gaps in your window film so it’s visible, that’s also a bad thing. So that’s a bonus and reason #6. You might like this article about an invisible enemy that’s stealing your greatest asset!

Ready for a mistake-free window film installation?

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can help keep you from embarrassing mistakes. We’d love to help you choose the best film. 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 have expanded into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

How to Make Sure Your Home Stays Cooler

July 15, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Planet Earth keeps on heating up. Every year gets hotter, or at least since scientists started recording temperatures. People have been hurt from climate-related causes, so it’s more important than ever to stay cool when the weather heats up. If you want your home to stay cooler, read about these ideas. Maybe one of them will spark your interest.

Run fans instead of AC

If you can add an extra fan or two and keep the AC off (if you don’t need it), you can get some cross-ventilation going. Think of the air bouncing around like the pool ball in a game of pool. Create a path for the air to flow through your home. Push the hot air out if possible, by lining up the fans, letting the hot air bounce out the window or door.

Use dehumidifiers if your air is moist

If you’ve ever lived in a humid climate, you know that moist air feels hotter. You can tell how humid your home is if the word moist makes you feel a little icky. 80 degrees can feel like 100 degrees if there’s humidity! While we all love our houseplants, they can make the air a little too humid. Pull out some of that humidity with a dehumidifier. Here’s some more info about dehumidifiers from Consumer Reports.

Unplug unused electronics

Do you even use that printer any more? Why not unplug it? How about all those weird appliances you bought during the last online sale? Unplug that electric mustache curler, the voice-activated espresso machine, and electric egg cookers. Your power bill will thank you, and your home will stay just a little cooler. And consider decluttering and getting rid of some of those appliances if you don’t use them!

On a similar note, spring is over, but you still might like our article about spring cleaning.

Swap out your light bulbs

Trade your old incandescents for some newer LED bulbs. LED bulbs generate less heat. Did you know that one incandescent light bulb can give out more heat than light? And that the incandescent bulbs are only 2.1% efficient according to this article from North American Power? That means that “for every 100 watt light bulb, only two of those watts is actually being turned into light. The rest is being turned into heat.”

Check your ceiling fan

Is your fan running in the right direction? If not, the hot air might be getting pushed down, causing everything to stay warmer. In the summer, change your ceiling fan so that the blades turn counterclockwise. This article from Home Depot tells you how. Then once the temperature is cooler, change the direction of the ceiling fan blades once again.

Invest in window film

Window film can definitely help, especially on those windows that get the most sun! We’ve written a lot about window film and its ability to keep your home, office, or school cooler. Why not try it? Here’s one of our most recent articles Will New Window Film Improve Your Summer Plans?

Ready for a cooler home?

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can help keep you and your home much cooler. We’d love to help you choose the best film. 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 have expanded into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.

Create Privacy without Compromising Style: Five Ways

June 26, 2025 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Recently we were reading an article from House Beautiful about how to create privacy and noticed what they said this about windows. In the article “Victoria McKenney of Enviable Designs likes to create privacy with windows made of leaded glass or with opaque accents.” However, one thing missing from the article was the use of window film! Let us explain.

Use window film with design elements

We’ve written about the many kinds of design elements you can choose from with window film. For instance, do you like polka dots or stripes? 3M Fasara decorative window film comes with both polka dots and stripes (as well as hundreds of other design types), so you can look super modern. And if you can’t decide, you can even combine designs (dots plus stripes? Are we dreaming?)!

Have you seen any window film lately?

When window film is doing its best work, it’s invisible. You’ll probably forget you even have window film. Sometimes it’s hard for us to talk about window film just because it’s usually invisible when it’s doing its job. If you really had to, you could walk up to a window with film on it, and touch the edge of the film, just to ensure that it’s there. But otherwise you would not see it!

Frosted films keep prying eyes away

You can use film on an exterior window so your neighbors can’t see in, but you can also use that same film on interior walls (such as shower doors), in case you have kids running around the house. Or you could use frosted film on kitchen cabinets to hide all those ugly mismatched water bottles that you refuse to throw away. Hey! Have you read about spring cleaning (yeah, it’s not spring anymore, but maybe you could make an exception just to get rid of those water bottles!)?

Lets in the sun without the UV rays

If you don’t want to lose your views, you can still have privacy and also lose the UV rays! Yes, you can have it all. And maybe you could also lose those ugly curtains while you’re at it. They’re just sitting there gathering dust, aren’t they?

Match your decor with window film

Some of our favorite window films are the beautiful Asian-style bamboo window films. Whether your decor is Asian or mid century modern, there’s a window film that can match! You may want something subtle, or you may want a big splashy design. Either way, there’s a window film that can match or mirror your design.

Ready for more privacy?

You can fill out our Quick Residential Estimate form if you need us to install some window film. Give us a call and we can help keep you and your family’s privacy. We’d love to help you choose the best film. 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 have expanded into southern California, too! Give us a call at 415.623.8700.