The Valuable Ways Window Film Can Change Your Life

December 27, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

The Valuable Ways Window Film Can Change Your Life

The best thing about window film is that when it’s really working you’ll forget it’s there. That is to say, it’s invisible. And yet it can change your life. Let me explain. If you’re interested in your own wellbeing or your long-term health, then having window film is a no-brainer.

Window Film Protects Your Eyes

As you get older, the light becomes more important. Glare can become a problem, and sometimes our vision can become cloudy. Window film reduces glare, which is so important to protect your eyesight. Cataracts can develop from too much UV. Again, window film comes to the rescue by blocking UV light. We’ve discussed window film and your vision before in the article Window Film: Seven Ways it Can Improve Your Life.

Window Film Protects Your Skin

UV light affects your skin and can lead to skin cancer without some form of protection. Using sunscreen, large hats, and staying out of the strongest sun are all important. But what about the UV rays coming in through your windows? Window film is like sunscreen for your home or office. In their excellent article, Window Film: Sun Protection for Your Health and Home, the Skin Cancer Foundation explains that window film can block up to 99.9% of UVA rays from entering your home. If that light entering your home can damage your belongings, think about what it can do to your skin!

Less Sensory Overload

Have you ever been around too many people and just want some peace and quiet? Window film makes your home feel quieter. We’re all visual creatures, primarily, so all the visual stimulation coming in through our computers, phones, and TVs can leave us feeling exhausted. With window film, some of that sensory overload is reduced.

Save Money on Heating and Cooling Bills

In addition to protecting your health, window film saves you money on your heating bill in the winter, and your cooling bill in the summer. With our increasingly wilder weather due to global warming, having some stability is a very good thing. Read more about how you can reduce your bills with window film.

We’d Love to Talk to You!

Have questions about window film? We’re here for you! Call us at 415.623.8700 to discuss window film!

Why Not Use All the Space in Your Home?

December 19, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Why Not Use All the Space in Your Home?

Having natural light pouring in through your huge glass windows can be a beautiful thing if there’s no glare, but what about when there is? Do you have to pack up yourself, plus your dog and cat, too, every time the sun hits your windows at the wrong angle? We know a number of people who used to have to do that exact thing! And it’s really not very fun. But 3M’s Prestige Window Film can block 97% of infrared light for your comfort. Which is really much easier than having a pair of sunglasses near every single window.

Glare on Your Computer Screen

Are you hiding in your loft because the glare through the windows downstairs is simply too harsh? Or maybe you have strategically placed towels hanging over the windows at certain times of the day. That can happen anywhere from homes to businesses. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, space is really at a premium. It’s a shame to not be able to use every inch of your space, as we talked about in our previous article: How to Dramatically Cut Back Sun Glare: 10 Ways.

Glare When You’re Trying to Eat

If you’re squinting as you try to see your friend eat, it doesn’t make for good conversation. Without eliminating the glare, you’ll probably be too distracted to have a very good talk. Maybe you have to keep scootching your chairs around every few minutes so you can see each other–as well as your food. That’s also seriously annoying! If your eyes are already strained, you don’t need to be squinting when you should be relaxing.

Glare in Your Eyes

Maybe you’ve given up on trying to use any of the space near your windows at all. That would be a shame since you may have a beautiful view! Glare can cause headaches, sore muscles, and annoyance. And that indoor UV light can damage your furnishings as well as your skin. We’re getting a headache just thinking about the glare! Not to mention all the ways UV light can damage your skin when it enters through your windows.

Ready to Use All Your Space?

We’d love to help! Give us a call and we can help you find a perfect solution to your glare issues. One that doesn’t include squinting.

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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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.

How to Make Glass Windows More Private

May 31, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

You may be wondering what the best ways are to create more privacy at your home or office. Not to worry! We have some ideas that will make your task much easier!

Window Film Creates Privacy

For the most uncluttered look, try window film. You might have wondered about what kind of window film you should get. But you can always give us a call and we can help advise you. And you might like this recent post about How to Use Window Film to Get Privacy in Your Tiny House. After all, to afford to live in the San Francisco Bay Area, many people live with roommates or in a tiny house.

Curtains or Half Curtains

Sometimes all you need is a cafe curtain, which is a half curtain. Or you may need a full floor-to-ceiling type of curtain. Either way, curtains can help you have more privacy. The upside with curtains is that they’re easy to install and usually inexpensive. The downside is that for those with allergies they collect dust and need to be cleaned. Also, curtains take up valuable space whereas window film takes up no space at all. You might like 10 Important Things to Consider When You’re Buying Curtains from Elle Decor.

gorgeous home photo — Photo by Serena Snowfield – On Hiatus Until June

Photo by Serena Snowfield – On Hiatus Until June

Shutters for Privacy

Shutters are handy because you can open and close one, two, or more shutters at a time. And they have a classic look which is wonderful in a living room or library, too. And in case you think adding shutters is something you can do casually, here’s an article that talks about how installing shutters the wrong way can ruin the look of your home: All About Exterior Window Shutters.

Screens Provide Instant Privacy

Screens are great because you can move them around. They’re a way to create instant privacy and can be pulled out at a moment’s notice such as when you have a guest over and need to create a private space for them. They can block the afternoon sun in front of a window, or provide relief from people looking in as well.

Call Us to Schedule an Appointment!

We install window film all over the San Francisco Bay Area. If you have questions about window film, please call!

How to Use Window Film That Will Help You Have Privacy in Your Tiny House

May 3, 2018 by Carol S Leave a Comment

Here in San Francisco, real estate prices have gone through the roof. You’ve probably seen some of the reports showing how expensive San Francisco is. For instance, Bloomberg had an article about how Buying a Home in San Francisco is About to Get Even Harder. But people still want to live here, although some of them have to move into tiny houses to afford the San Francisco Bay Area lifestyle!

Tiny Houses and Window Film

We’ll get right to the heart of the matter. If you live in a tiny house, window film can help you with privacy. Immediately. No waiting seven years. Have it installed and get more privacy immediately. Plus, it looks great! Here’s an article about how window tint was used in a tiny home, so you can see some of the possibilities.

More Privacy

You can put window film on your exterior windows, but also on your interior windows if you have them. If you have a shower, but don’t want a curtain, you can use window film to create privacy in your shower or bath. Window film looks sleek and uncluttered, too. We wrote about privacy recently in our post: Ten Day Challenge: More Privacy in San Francisco.

Spend Your Dollars Wisely

You’ve spent less money by buying a tiny house rather than a giant McMansion, so with that what you’ve saved, you could invest in window film. You might also want to invest in insulation, too. And by the way, did you know that we install 3M Thinsulate, which insulates your windows? See more information in our previous post, How to Stay Cool in the Heat? You’ll Love 3M Thinsulate Window Film.

Save Money, Too!

Window film can help you save money on your power bill, since it keeps the interior of your home well-regulated. So temperatures don’t get as hot or as cold. It keeps the nosy neighbors from peeking in, which could save your sanity.

phone call photo — Photo by Andrew Stawarz

Call Us

If you need a recommendation on what kind of window film to get, give us a call. We’d love to talk to you!