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.
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